


The Island

by TheLateNightStoryTeller



Category: Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: Alison might kinda show up too, F/F, Jurassic Park AU, Leekie, Minor characters Sarah, Multichapter, oh and Kira too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-01
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-11-07 13:31:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 29,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11059995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLateNightStoryTeller/pseuds/TheLateNightStoryTeller
Summary: So this is chapter 1, and I already have an OK idea of where this story is going. I have a bit more written and a lot more planned out in my head so hopefully I will keep the updates consistent :)Sarah and Kira are both going to be major characters, but I didn't tag them because they aren't mains in the story.Dinosaurs.





	1. Chapter 1

“So?”

Delphine’s breath tickled her ear and Cosima did her best to suppress a flush.

“I think Kira’s bored,” she said, tilting her head towards her niece who was fiddling with the toy dinosaur she’d been given at the start of the tour.

A peppy cartoon DNA strand, looking like something right out of the 90s, wound and unwound itself as it explained about how genetic material was the blueprint for all living things, but her niece wasn’t paying it any attention.

Sarah didn’t seem to be fairing much better, but she did manage to smile politely at the scientist explaining the cloning techniques to her. The lab was state of the art, high tech and impressive with enough tools to entice anyone working in her field, but to her family it just looked like a big white room of things they weren’t allowed to touch. After an hour in here, it wasn’t surprising that both of them looked ready to leave.

Delphine cast the pair of them a knowing smile. “I’m sure soon they’ll find that the start of the tour is worth the end of it.” Cosima raised her eyebrows but, once again, she shook her head, smiling secretively. “You’ll see.”

Coisma scoffed, but she was smiling too. She leaned towards her playfully. “You don’t really have dinosaurs.”

“Ah, a skeptic.”

Delphine grinned at Dr. Leeky’s approach. Cosima did not. She found the man cocky and overbearing and it didn’t help that he seemed to have both a thing for Delphine and a strange fascination for Cosima and her sisters.

 “Your lab is impressive,” she admitted. She tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. “But my bets are on the mammoth team getting there first.”

Maybe she wanted to show off, that was probably part of it, but it had also always rubbed her the wrong way when people made false claims backed up by pseudoscience. Usually it was because they wanted something from someone.

“You yourself could be considered a clone Cosima,” he reminded her grinning.

 Her mouth twitched and she leaned forward slightly. “Me and my sisters have none of the problems that artificially cloned animals do. Nature still does a better job than us.”

Leeky chuckled, looking to Delphine but her smile looked forced now, maybe because she sensed the tension between them. “I think what I’m about to show you might change your mind.”

“Hmm.” She didn’t even attempt to sound impressed. They were probably about to get their first look at some poor mutated chicken.

“Let’s head outside,” he invited. He motioned to a few of the staff members who followed him through the door. Cosima and Delphine lingered behind to wait for Sarah and Kira.

“You are such a brat,” Delphine whispered when he was out of earshot, though she seemed more amused than upset.

Cosima shrugged, but she couldn’t help a smug grin.

“C’mon Monkey,” Sarah took Kira’s hand, drawing looks from a few of the scientists who’d already heard Cosima speaking.

It freaked people out, that they all had different accents. Sarah was English and Helena, who was at home taking care of her newborns, was Ukrainian. Alison, who was Canadian and at home for her daughter’s birthday, could pass for American but people still sometimes picked up on the fact that she didn’t sound it.

The four of them had been separated as infants after their parents had died in car crash. People looking at their story saw it as a fascinating accident. Quintuplets were rare enough but _identical ones?_ Identical quintuplets whose parents died in a plane crash and who had each been adopted by families in a different country? Seeing her sisters, how different they were from each other, it fascinated Cosima as a scientist of course. It was an almost unbelievably improbable occurrence, sure, but more than that it was a tragedy. Something most people seemed to forget when questioning them about it. And people forgot all too quickly how terrible Helena’s family had been.

Now, Cosima watched her sister and her niece with a soft smile, glad at least that she’d finally found them. However, when her eyes settled on Kira she frowned.

She touched Delphine’s arm to get her attention. “These animals are OK aren’t they?” she asked, keeping her voice low so only she could hear. “Kira’s a sensitive kid, she’s gonna know if they’re suffering.”

“All of our animals are perfectly healthy,” Delphine assured her. “Kira is going to have a wonderful time.” She moved in close again and Cosima felt her heart jump into her throat. “And so are you.”

She stared back, wanting to trust her. Delphine had been trying to recruit her for over two months now and Cosima still couldn’t entirely pin down her motivations. They’d kissed once before departing to see the island facility. Well, twice actually but she didn’t like counting the first time, when Delphine had run out on her mumbling something about work she’d still had to do. One kiss interrupted by a brief bout of sexual confusion and another interrupted by her well meaning but clueless lab mate.

Was the chemistry between them a part of why Delphine wanted her on this project so badly? Or was the project the reason for Delphine’s continued interest in her? Cosima couldn’t tell. She hadn’t even talked to Sarah about any of it yet, though her twin seemed to know already that there was something between them.

Delphine wouldn’t risk harming a little girl, she decided at last. Maybe she was wrapped up in what her superiors wanted but she wasn’t a bad person. She wouldn’t scare Kira.

“What’s this one auntie Cosima?” Kira asked, holding up her new toy when she and Sarah joined them.

“I told her you’d probably know,” Sarah laughed.

Cosima looked down at the frilled creature with a lopsided grin. “That is diloposauraus.”

“What does he eat?” she asked.

“Look at his mouth.” They’d been talking about this on the plane ride over.

She turned it over, running her fingers over the pointed teeth molded into its open mouth.  “It looks like a carnivore.”

“Good job.” Cosima held out a hand and Kira gave her a high five, giggling.

Sarah grinned at her but as Kira looked back at the little dinosaur her features fell into a frown. “There aren’t any carnivores here, are there?”

Cosima made a face, about to assure her that the scariest thing they’d probably see would be a really big chicken, but Delphine spoke first.

“Everyone on this island is perfectly safe,” she assured them with a bright smile. “Come. We should catch up before the jeep leaves without us.”

She began to walk away, Kira skipping ahead of her at the mention of the jeep which had snagged her attention as they’d come in, but Sarah lingered for a moment to catch Cosima’s eye.

 _‘Are we OK?’_ she asked silently.

Cosima nodded, dismissing any cause for alarm with a short chuckle. _‘Of course.’_

_////_

The jeep was electric, riding on a track so they didn’t need a driver. Bright green with the company logo _Dinolution_ printed underneath the stripes on the side. Kira and Sarah sat at the back and Cosima sat beside Delphine in the front. Leeky and a few of the other scientists took the car ahead of them and, unfortunately, he was able to communicate with them through the radio.

While they waited for the “ride” to begin, Cosima and Kira explored the compartments.

“Do you really think you should be playing with that?” Sarah asked, looking to Delphine for help when the other two began fiddling with one of the night vision helmets.

“Relax Sarah,” Cosima assured her. “I know what I’m-“ The jeep jerked forward and it leapt from her hands, hitting the floor between Sarah and Kira with a thud. “Oops…”

“It should be fine,” Delphine assured them as her sister cast her a disapproving look. “All the equipment is made for rough handling.”

“We’re hoping to have a good flock of tourists coming through our park,” Leekie explained cheerfully over the radio.

Cosima made a face which he couldn’t see, still skeptical. “Hmm.”

“What are they?” Kira asked. She’d picked the goggles up off the floor, trying them on.

“They’re night vision goggles,” Delphine told her brightly. “State of the art.”

“I can’t see anything,” she giggled.

“The don’t work if there’s too much light,” Cosima explained.

“There for when it’s too dark to see,” Sarah added. “Pretty cool huh?”

Kira took them off, stowing them carefully back under the seat. “Yeah.”

Sarah and Kira started chatting about what they might see on the island, Kira was a lot more optimistic about dinosaurs than Cosima was, and Cosima twisted back around into her seat to stare out the window.

As the jungle began to thin, she felt Delphine’s eyes on her.

She turned to her, raising her eyebrows. “What?”

Delphine beamed. “I’m trying to imagine what the look on your face will be when finally see one.”

Cosima chuckled but she didn’t argue. The other woman’s soft gaze was filling her up with warmth that made the sunlight seem stale in comparison. She didn’t want her to stop.

“Is that why you brought me all the way out here?” she teased. “To impress me?”

Her smile widened. “That may have been one of my reasons.”

“Cosima.”

She blinked at the sound of Sarah’s voice, feeling like she was coming out of a daydream. “Huh?” she asked absently, eyes still locked onto Delphine’s.

“Auntie Cosima!” Kira’s tug at the back of her shirt finally snapped her out of it but when she turned to see what the two of them were pointing out she froze in place all over again.

The creature before her definitely wasn’t a chicken. It towered at least 100 feet over them, massive legs like wide trunks and a neck that stretched up past the leaves of the palm trees. Its skin was grey and scaly and each slow step it took brought it closer towards them.

“Holy shit,” she breathed.

The jeep had stopped and she jumped out without thinking. Behind her she heard Sarah’s protest, Delphine’s assurance that it was perfectly safe. The door slammed behind her and she found herself sandwiched between her family and her maybe girlfriend.

Kira was bouncing on her toes, pulling on Sarah’s arm. “Mom! Mom, it’s a dinosaur!”

Sarah laughed incredulously. “Yeah. Yeah, it bloody is.”

And it wasn’t alone. Only a few hundred feet further, down by an enormous pond of water, she spotted a herd of what could have been parasaurolophus, giant green-grey animals with long crests reaching back from their heads. One of them let out a loud trumpeting sound, echoed by the others. Around the herd there was a stegosaurus and about half a dozen horned dinosaurs that could have been triceratops. Even at a distance it was easy to see how massive they all were. Impossible giants, casually sharing a drink as if they’d always existed in this time period. The sight was so surreal it made Cosima’s head spin. How was this possible?

Delphine’s fingers curled around her palm, shooting sparks up her arm that danced with the butterflies already fluttering in her stomach and she thought she was going to sprout wings and zoom off the ground.

“So?” Cosima glanced at her and saw her eyes sparkling with delight at her reaction.

“Holy shit,” she mouthed.

Delphine laughed. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is chapter 1, and I already have an OK idea of where this story is going. I have a bit more written and a lot more planned out in my head so hopefully I will keep the updates consistent :)
> 
> Sarah and Kira are both going to be major characters, but I didn't tag them because they aren't mains in the story. 
> 
> Dinosaurs.


	2. Chapter 2

“How did you deal with the DNA degradation?” Cosima asked breathlessly. The four of them were back in the car, returning to the research facility for lunch and neither her she nor Kira had stopped asking questions since they’d departed. “Where did you _get_ over sixty five billion year old dinosaur DNA?”

“We used _Hyperolius viridiflavus_ DNA to patch up the missing segments,” Leekie explained over the radio. “Living things have a lot more in common than most people realize, many genes are conserved across species. And the DNA itself…” he paused, presumably for dramatic effect, but Cosima was too excited to scoff. “Mosquitos. Trapped in amber.”

Delphine held up her necklace, a golden amber pendant on a silver chain, and Cosima beamed at her.

“Wow. Wow, OK. So, you have _actual_ real life dinosaurs out here that you’ve been mining ancient mosquitoes for?”  Her hands flew through the air as she spoke. “That’s…” She shook her head.

“It’s incredible,” Delphine finished for her.

“I bet that offer to come work here is looking a lot more tempting now, isn’t it Cosima?” Leekie asked.

Cosima grinned, forgetting her antagonism towards him for a moment. “Yeah. Yeah, totally tempting.”  

“Hyperolius?” Sarah asked. She’d been quiet for most of the ride, only speaking when Kira wanted her to explain something.

“A kind of frog,” Cosima explained. “A reed frog.”

She barked out a rough chuckle. “Frog dinosaurs?” she shook her head. “You sure it’s safe?”

“The safety of our guests is a major priority,” Leekie assured her. Cosima thought he sounded like an automated message. “Our goal is to provide the best experience for each and every one.”

Delphine nodded along. “Even the tyrannosaur is-“

“You have a _tyrannosaur?”_   “A T-rex?” Cosima and Kira exclaimed.

“You have bloody _T-rex?”_ Sarah wasn’t nearly as impressed.

“-completely under control,” Delphine finished, twisting around to look Cosima’s sister in the eyes. Sarah frowned back at her cheerful expression until she looked uncomfortable.

“This is a really advanced facility, Sarah,” Cosima added, coming to her defense. “You don’t worry about lions when you go to the zoo do you?”

“You’re comparing zoo animals to dinosaurs?” she asked incredulously.

“We’re OK, aren’t we mom?” Kira stared up at her, tilting her head questioningly, and at last Sarah’s shoulders relaxed.

“There’s nothing you have to worry about,” she promised. “I’m just making sure one of us asks the adult questions.” She glanced at Cosima who rolled her eyes at her.

“Can we still see the T-rex?” Kira asked hopefully.

Cosima turned around, hugging the back of the chair. “C’mon Sarah. It’ll be great.”

“I wouldn’t have asked you here if I hadn’t known it was safe,” Delphine added.

The backs of her fingers brushed down Cosima’s arm as she spoke. Briefly, but long enough to make Sarah look back and forth between them with a faint knowing smirk.

_“Please,”_ Kira whined.

Sarah’s gazed back and forth between Cosima and Delphine again, her expression sobering, before resting on Cosima.

“Cos? You’re sure about this?”

Was she? Sarah trusted her. She didn’t trust many people, certainly not big companies like Dinolution, but she trusted her. Their eyes met and Cosima felt as if she was looking at an extension of herself. Sarah, Kira, they were a part of her. They were at one with her and they were two inexplicably beautiful and unique people all at the same time. She’d never let anything happen to them.

“Yeah.” She nodded. “Yeah, of course. It’ll be just like a trip to the zoo.”

Slowly, Sarah nodded back. “OK.” Cosima and Kira let out a cheer, Delphine joining in shyly near the end, and she laughed. “Let’s see the king of the dinosaurs then.”

The jeep stopped again and Cosima looked around, hungry to catch sight of another dinosaur. What else could the park have? Maiasuara? Iguanadon? Ankylosaurus? She was eight years old again, hidden in her room under a fort of blankets reading _Walking with Dinosaurs_ with her flashlight. If she’d known back then, what she was going to see now!

There wasn’t anything around though. Only a field of long grass and a line of trees in the far distance.

Leekie tapped on the window beside her and she jumped.

“I didn’t mean to alarm you,” he chuckled. “I want to show you something.”

The four of them got out of the jeep, Kira and Sarah joining hands synchronously, and followed behind him.  Together they waded into the grass.

“What’s going on?” Delphine asked. Clearly she hadn’t been informed about this part of the tour.

“It seems we were passing by at a fortuitous time,” he told them. “One of our triceratops is sick.”

“How is that fortuitous?” Sarah asked.

“Because they would need to capture it to treat it,” Cosima breathed.

“I’ve never seen one of the adults up close,” Delphine bubbled beside her and Cosima resisted the urge to let her know how cute she looked with her face lit up like it was.

“What’s happening?” Kira asked.

“We’re going to get to see another dinosaur,” Sarah told her. “Are any of them going to have feathers, like they keep saying in the newspaper?”

“Oh yes, the tyrannosaur does,” Delphine answered. “And the Velociraptors… they grew a bit larger than the fossils we’ve found…” She was rambling, still bubbling with excitement at what they were about to see.

“A mistake we can correct in the next generation,” Leekie assured them cheerfully. “Or not. Chicken sized dinosaurs might not be as impressive as the animals we have now.”

“Accurate reproduction might be though,” Cosima couldn’t help adding.

 “Maybe you can help us with that,” he countered easily.

Before Cosima could reply, a shape in the grass caught her eye. Something large and light brown. Squinting, she made out a head, a leg sticking out sideways from the body, a stomach slowly heaving up and down as the creature breathed.

It was lying on its side, stunned but not entirely unconscious, and it stared up at them as they approached.

Sarah held Kira back at first but, when Cosima reached out her hand to touch it and nothing happened, she let her join them.

A triceratops. A real live breathing triceratops. Up close like this, she had a much better appreciation for it’s massive size. Its front horns were the size of her arm and she could probably have sat on its back and been hidden from view behind its frill. It was like finding a whale on land.

Under her fingers, its face was warm but its front horn wasn’t, and it felt a bit like a really hard, really big fingernail. It was warm blooded, an endotherm with scales and a massive beak, and it was beautiful.

“Hey there,” she cooed.

“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” Delphine whispered, crouching beside her. She placed her hand next to Cosima’s, their fingers barely touching and she crouched so close to her that her scent wrapped around her like a blanket.

Cosima’s heart fluttered and she tried to ignore the flush rising to her cheeks. “She?”

“All of our animals are female,” Delphine informed her. “It prevents them from reproducing.”

“What’s wrong with her?” Kira asked. She was standing on the other side of its head, just next to where the frill began, Sarah right behind her marvelling along with them.

“A small number of our animals develop a respiratory illness once they reach adulthood,” Leekie explained.

Cosima frowned at Delphine, inching away. “You said all the animals were healthy.”

“It’s perfectly treatable,” Delphine assured her.

She gave the animal another pat, gentler this time. Its eyes were glazed over but she thought that maybe it still sensed them there. “Does it hurt?”

 Delphine didn’t know it, but Cosima had been sick too when she was a child. Four babies meant there wasn’t a lot of room for them all to grow, and she’d been born a couple of months before her sisters had been with her lungs still underdeveloped. She had no memories of what it had been like when they’d all been together, or of the scare she’d given her adoptive parents one night at the hospital just after her fifth birthday, but growing up she’d had more than her fair share of pneumonia and related breathing difficulties. Cold and flu season had hit her harder than most people and she still kept her distance from anyone with a cough or a sniffle.

Delphine shook her head, unconcerned, unaware of the things Cosima was feeling. “She’ll be fine.”

_But you lied to me._ She tried to shake off the thought, not wanting to ruin the rest of the outing, but it settled into the pit of her stomach and didn’t budge all the way through Leekie’s explanation of where the triceratops was going to go, and how she was going to be treated.

The others chatted happily all the way back to the facility but, although she put up a front and joined in, the pit had sprouted like a seed, growing doubt inside of her. If Delphine had smudged the truth so easily on this one thing… what else hadn’t she been completely honest about?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So apparently it's a thing where twins can be born on different days, even months apart. Who knew? Not sure how relevant that part about Cosima is, but I wanted to keep all the characters as close to their canon versions as possible.


	3. Chapter 3

The lunch that had been prepared for them was extravagant, seafood and dishes in rich sauces with hot flakey rolls served in a basket at the centre of the table. The room itself was no less excessive. A plesiosaur skeleton hung from the high ceiling above them and various other fossilized or stuffed creatures adorned the large dining hall. Each dish was served on a silver platter. Cosima thought the whole thing was a bit too boastful, but she did like the fossils.

Sarah and Kira were in the other room, talking on the phone with Alison. She could hear them trying to convince her to let Gemma and Oscar come to the park for spring break. From this end, Alison sounded skeptical.

“I haven’t seen a single tick since we got here, Alison,” Sarah was saying impatiently. “No I’m sure there are bugs but- ….I don’t know what that means… No, the food is fine… yeah and the water’s fine too.”

“We’re going to see a T-Rex,” Kira shouted.

Cosima rolled her eyes. Of course, Alison was more worried about the accommodations. And Sarah was too busy being paranoid to enjoy herself. Kira at least had it right.

“Have you tried the crab?” Delphine asked, leaning towards her as she spoke.

Speaking of paranoid.

Cosima poked at the food already on her plate, mouth twitching. “No.”

Leekie and a few of the other scientists were locked in a debate over admission prices, no one noticed their exchange.

Delphine narrowed her eyes. “What is it?”

Cosima cast the others a quick glance and looked back over her shoulder before answering. “Why didn’t you tell me about the respiratory illness?”

This surprised her. “That’s why you’re not eating?”

“You told me the animals were healthy,” she pressed.

“And they are,” Delphine objected quickly. “The situation is completely under control. I’ve personally seen to their treatment protocol.”

Cosima stared down at her plate but she saw Delphine tilt her head out of the corner of her eye, her eyes round and pleading for understanding. She looked back over her shoulder again, but both Kira and Sarah were still on the phone.

“My family is here Delphine,” she whispered.  

“And I wouldn’t let anything happen to any of you,” she promised quietly. “I…” Cosima turned her head and saw that she was biting her lips together. “We’ve been working here for almost a year without a single incident,” she said at last. “I care about this project and about our animals,” she insisted when Cosima continued to look skeptical. “Think about all we can learn from them. Things paleontologists would have only dreamed of five years ago.”

She was right. The guests would fund the project but the thing Cosima was most interested in- and what she knew Delphine was most interested in too- was studying these animal’s biology. They were sitting on top of a goldmine of knowledge and hadn’t they been safe so far? She’d seen the park’s security system, everything was state of the art. Delphine said the animals weren’t being mistreated, and it hadn’t looked like they were so far. No one here was being irresponsible.

Maybe she’d been spending too much time with Sarah that her sister’s defensiveness was beginning to rub off on her. Why should she let one little miscommunication spoil their trip? Wasn’t that just as bad as Alison worrying over the food?

Slowly, her lips curled up in a smile. “You really want me working here don’t you?” This time she was the one to lean in closer. “What’s the dental like?”

Delphine chuckled at her, brightened by her coming around.

“Alison says hi,” Sarah said, taking the seat next to her. “Take some carrots too,” she told Kira, who’d already piled three rolls onto her plate.

“Can we come back with her in the spring?” Kira asked.

Sarah smiled. “Maybe.”

“I hope auntie Helena comes too,” she said, dropping a small spoon of carrots next her bread.

“I’d love to see the four of you together,” Leekie put in from across the table.

Cosima shot him a cold look.

“I’m sure you would,” Sarah answered easily. “But we’ll have to see what everyone’s plans are first.”

“Ferdinand and I were just discussing our plans for admission prices,” Leekie told them.

“I think Dr. Leekie is being too generous with his pricing,” Ferdinand explained cheerfully.

“And I think that everyone should be able to afford a glimpse back in time,” Leekie countered politely.

“We also need to keep everyone here paid,” Ferdinand pointed out, but Leekie dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

“Everyone here is well paid.”

Ferdinand frowned for a moment but didn’t comment.

A woman dressed in khaki shorts and a staff t-shirt entered from the hall. “I’m sorry everyone,” she said. “But we’re going to have to postpone the tour an hour or so, we need the track to move the triceratops.”

“We’re still having the main guest track built,” Leekie explained. “Luckily for you, you’ll get to use the behind the scenes route.”

“Is it better?” Kira asked.

He laughed. “It takes you closer to the exhibits.”

She exchanged a look with her mother, both grinning, and Cosima was glad that she’d invited them to come along.

After lunch, Sarah took Kira upstairs to relax for the hour’s wait, but before Cosima could join them she felt Delphine’s hand slide into her own.

“You don’t mind if I borrow you for a minute?” she asked.

Cosima looked to Sarah who smirked at her. “Go ahead,” she chuckled.

She turned back to Delphine. “Sure, what is it?”

Sarah and Kira were already headed upstairs but Delphine placed a finger to her lips, smiling knowingly. “You’ll see.”

“What?” Cosima giggled, but she shook her head again.

She let Delphine lead her down the hallway, watching her swipe her key card twice to get passed doors with large signs reading ‘Authorized personnel only’. Very few people were down this way, and the ones they passed scurried by with carts of chemicals or stacks of charts, paying them little attention.

At last, after a few sharp turns, Delphine scanned a different card and her thumb print in front of a set of double doors.

“Where are you sneaking me into?” Cosima whispered delightedly.

“It’s not really sneaking,” she told her, though she was smiling. “I’m sure Dr. Leekie wouldn’t mind.”

“But you haven’t told him,” she guessed. Delphine was silent and she took that as confirmation she hadn’t. “Hmm, look at you Dr. Cormier, sneaking girls into your workspace.”

“Just you,” she said quietly. She kept her eyes on the door handle, but Cosima could see she was blushing.

_Just you._ Cosima’s tongue twisted, wings fluttering in her chest as she followed her in, the door shutting quickly behind them.

“That’s… oddly romantic,” she managed at last.

Delphine turned to her, laughter in her eyes before she caught sight of her expression and her features shifted from carefree to serious. Cosima hadn’t meant to switch moods so quickly but the feelings welling up inside of her were taking her by surprise. As curious as she was about what was in that room, she couldn’t take her eyes off the woman in front of her. It was like the drop in pressure before a storm, the air heavy and alive with electricity.

Slowly, as if she too felt the tug between them, Delphine moved forward, pulling Cosima into a long kiss. Warmth crept through her core, driving her into it and she wrapped an arm around Delphine’s shoulder to pull herself up. Fingers slid down her shoulder and her heart galloped in her chest, a rush like a lightening strike jolting through her. 

Caught up in what they were doing, she bumped into the metal table behind her when Delphine moved into her, the impact jangling a tray of glass tubes.

“Are you OK?” She found herself following Delphine’s lips as they moved away, not wanting her to stop. The concern in her voice was cute but unnecessary.

“Mhmm…” she answered absently, grinning when Delphine moved back in for another kiss.

But the noise had cracked open the spell she’d fallen under and, after allowing herself a few more precious seconds, she pulled back.

“Now I’m really going to get you in trouble.” She chuckled as she spoke but she was only half kidding.

Delphine sighed, probably a little disappointed. Cosima herself wasn’t too happy about ending this so early, but she knew she was right.

She felt the other woman’s forehead gently butt hers, her fingers grazing her jaw.

“Later then,” she whispered.

Her words made Cosima’s head spin, her eyes kept shut to hold onto the feeling as a smile rose into her cheeks. “OK,” she breathed, letting them flutter open.

Hands moved down her arms, taking each of hers into them. “I wanted to show you something before we leave anyway. Close your eyes.”

“Really?” Cosima giggled, but she did as she’d been asked.

“Follow me.”

Delphine led her forward a couple of steps before stopping her and letting go of one hand. There was a low _whoosh_ and a rush of warm air in front of her and she heard her move to stand beside her, still gripping her hand. If she'd been paying more attention when they'd come in, Cosima might have had a better idea of what was in front of her, but she was enjoying the thrill of the mystery and she didn't regret having her focus drawn elsewhere. 

“OK,” she said fondly. “You can open them.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By request, some Cophine alone time ;) lol
> 
> What is the secret surprise? Stay tuned to find out.


	4. Chapter 4

It took Cosima a few seconds to take in what was in front of her when here eyes opened. There was a round table, covered in blankets and straw with a glass dome held up above it. Long, rod-like shapes sat nestled in the folds in the blanket. White shells. Eggs.

“It’s a nest…” She wanted to touch one but she wasn’t sure if that was OK. She didn’t want to hurt them.

Delphine placed a hand on her shoulder. “One of eleven we have incubating right now,” she told her. “Look.”

Cosima followed her finger and her eyes widened. One of the eggs on the other side had cracked open, a tiny creature laying half outside of it. She moved around the table, drawn towards it. The creature was making noises, not growls, not chirps, but something in between.

She knelt down so that it was at eye level, folding her arms on the edge of the table and resting her chin on her hands. “Hi,” she whispered. It squeaked at her and she grinned.

It was unlike anything she’d ever seen, like a baby bird but also like a lizard. It had a snout and, already, tiny pointed teeth but its body was covered in feathers, stuck slick to its skin by amniotic fluid from the egg. Its eyes were yellow with bright black balls in the middle, already alert, tracking her movements.

“She’s 324b21,” Delphine said beside her.

“What?” She’d been so entranced by the small creature that she hadn’t noticed Delphine taking a chart off the wall. “That’s her ID number?” she guessed.

“It is.” Delphine smiled, kneeling down beside her and placing the chart on the edge of the table.  “She’s hatched early,” she noted, amused. “Usually we like to be here when they’re born. They imprint on the first thing they see.” She paused, reaching out to wipe a piece of shell off the dinosaur’s head, her voice softening. “I’ve been present for the birth of every animal on this island.”

Cosima leaned her head on her arm, a completely new kind of warmth bubbling in her chest. Who knew her girlfriend had a soft spot for baby carnivorous bird-lizards? It was sweet, the way she cooed at it, letting it nibble at her finger. She was calling it something in French that Cosima didn’t understand but she liked the way it sounded.

“Can I hold her?” she asked.

“Of course, but you must be very gentle.” Delphine kissed the side of her head before getting to her feet. “They are fragile at first, we think that they must have strong parental care early in life because the newborns are completely reliant on us.”

Just like birds.

Carefully, Delphine pulled the baby dinosaur out of its shell, cradling it between her two hands. It made noises at her as she moved it, but didn’t struggle. Cosima held open her hands and Delphine gently placed it into them. It squirmed a bit, but Delphine was right, it wasn’t that strong yet. It weighed almost nothing.

“I need to tag her,” Delphine told her.

“Tag her?” Cosima watched as Delphine moved over to the desks, taking out a jet injector and tiny capsule.

“Her ID tag needs to be injected under her skin, so we can keep track of which one is which,” She explained. “We monitor them throughout their lifetime. For research purposes.” She came back to stand in front of Cosima, holding the injector in one hand. “Can you hold her still for me?”

Cosima winced sympathetically. “It’s bigger than she is.”

“It will be over soon,” Delphine assured her. In one swift motion she brought the jet injector down behind the dinosaurs neck, carefully holding its head in place with her other hand.

It let out a loud squeak of surprise, flailing its feet and front claws.

Cosima stroked her thumb over its tiny stomach. “Hey, its over. You’re OK.”

“Pauvre petit poussin,” Delphine cooed at it. She stroked its cheek, laughing when it stretched its jaws open at her. This time it sounded like a growl. “That’s it. It’s all over.”

“So does this mean you’re the mother of all the dinosaurs?” Cosima teased. “Do they follow you around?” She pictured an entire flock of these things trailing behind Delphine and grinned.

“Some of the herbivores remember me,” she answered. “But I don’t see the raptors very often once they reach adolescence.”

“She’s a raptor?” Cosima looked down at the animal which was now chewing lightly on her thumb.

Delphine nodded, raising an eyebrow in amusement. “Yes. And I think she’s getting hungry.”

/-/-/

Twenty minutes later, the little creature had been fed and put inside the nursery where the staff would take care of it. Cosima’s hand was in Delphine’s again, letting her lead her back to the main lobby. She could get used to this. The wonder of it all, the challenge of working with such ancient genetic material, the warmth of Delphine’s hand curled around hers. She was mulling over whether or not to tell Delphine that she wanted to stay when she heard the other woman gasp and felt a sharp tug in the opposite direction.

“This way!” she whispered, half running around the corner and forcing Cosima to jog to keep up.

“What are you do-“

“Shh!” Delphine hissed.

Cosima frowned at her before a familiar voice reached her ears. Her eyes widened.

“Shit…”

“In here.” Before she had a chance to protest, Delphine was pulling her through a dark doorway. “Quickly.”

She eased the door shut behind them and they hugged the wall, pressed close against each other.

“…it just isn’t an option we’d like to explore…” Leekie sounded very close, maybe only a few doors down.

“This is a high class facility.” It was Ferdinand now, sounding annoyed. “You can’t expect your staff to make due with what you’re paying them now. How will you keep them here?”

“We’re working with Dinosaurs,” Leekie told him, ignoring his irritation. “What more motivation could they need?”

Ferdinand sniffed.

“Everyone here is well paid.” There was an edge to Leekie’s voice now, but he was getting further away and Cosima couldn’t make out what he said next.

She exchanged a look with Delphine, eyes wide. Then, seemingly at the same moment, they burst into laughter.

“’It’s not really sneaking’,” Cosima teased, imitating Delphine in what she knew was a terrible French accent.

“Mmm.” Delphine winced in embarrassment, covering her face. “I wasn’t sure… I didn’t want to get you into trouble… I’m sorry for…” she gestured around the tiny closet they’d found themselves in, ”…this quandary.”

Cosima raised an eyebrow. “Quandary?” she teased. Delphine smiled at her apologetically, starting to move away, but she took both of her hands, her voice soft with affection. “Come here.”

Obligingly, Delphine let her pull her into a quick kiss.

“You’re so cute,” Cosima whispered, moving back just far enough to speak. She wrapped her arms around her neck, grinning so wide her cheeks hurt. “And don’t be sorry, I’m glad you brought me here.”

Delphine nudged her nose with her own. “So am I.”

The quiet sincerity in what she’d said stirred a restlessness in Cosima’s chest. She leaned forward for another kiss, deeper this time, her skin burning when Delphine took her face between her hands. The world faded away and all she wanted in that moment was to get lost in her. To lose herself in the taste of her lips and the smell of her skin, the feel of her hair, light and tickling her arms. When Delphine bit her lower lip, her stomach clenched and her hands began to wander, but when she touched the edge of her hip Delphine grabbed her hand, stilling her.

“Not yet?” she guessed, pulling back.

Delphine took her hand into both of hers, rubbing it between them. Cosima watched as she brought it up to her lips, smiling when she kissed her fingertips.

“We’re in a supply closet,” she said.

She made a face, unconcerned with their surroundings. “So?” she giggled. “No one’s going to find us. Look I can lock the door.” She reached for it with her other hand but Delphine shook her head, smiling nervously at her from behind their hands.

“It isn’t that,” she told her. “I’ve never done this before with…” she trailed off, still clutching her hand under her chin.

Cosima tilted her head. “With a woman?” she guessed. That was fair. If she wanted to take things slow, that wasn’t a problem. She’d forgotten this was all new to her.

In a way, it was all new to Cosima too. She’d never been this nervous before, never been so wrapped up in the other person both physically and emotionally. She wanted all of her, her body, her laugh, her endless conversations and she was terrified she was going to do something to mess everything up. But she’d never say any of that out loud, or let on how uncertain Delphine made her. She’d always felt so confident in her relationships but this time it felt like there was a lot more she might lose.

Delphine let out a short breath of a chuckle, shaking her head. She paused for a moment, stroking her thumb over Cosima’s fingers. “No. I mean with… someone I felt this way about.”

_Someone I felt this way about._ Cosima’s heart was galloping in her chest. Her throat felt full of cotton balls.

“Like… in what way?” she managed. She had to be sure she wasn’t misinterpreting her, her head was spinning too fast for her to be certain of anything right now.

Delphine smiled shyly, kissing her hand again, holding it tight. She could keep it, Cosima thought. She could keep all of her and then some. It made sense to her now, why the called it falling head over feet.

Their eyes met, Delphine’s shining. “I’m falling for you,” she said, softly, simply. A statement with no room for contradiction but beautifully warm and complicated at the same time.

Cosima swallowed, her cheeks hot, but each second she fumbled for words Delphine looked more and more uncertain.

She smiled softly, raising her free hand to gently cup Delphine’s cheek. “I am too.”

The laughter that brought from Delphine made her whole body sing and when she felt hands on her cheeks, her forehead pressing against hers, her heart felt so full she thought it would burst. It was wonderful. She was wonderful, they were wonderful, the whole world was a brilliant singing dream and she never wanted to wake up from it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Baby dinosaurs and kisses. This is the dream right? Haha.


	5. Chapter 5

They were back in the jeeps again, this time a long six-seated one. Leekie rode with them in the front, Kira and Sarah sat together in the middle and Delphine sat beside Cosima in the back, watching her stare out the window. Every now and then she or Leekie would answer a question, or offer an explanation for something they passed, and it warmed her heart each time Cosima perked up at something they said.

Cosima was like no one she’d ever met. She was curious and cocky and her friendliness towards others held a genuine warmth to it. She could look at something and ask questions that made Delphine feel like she was seeing it for the first time. To her, the world was beautiful, something to be explored and experienced for all that it was and being with her felt like everything had been made brand new.

It showed on her face, she knew it did, what she felt for her. She couldn’t stop it though and why try? There wasn’t anything wrong with her affection for the other woman so why try to hide it? Sarah already knew, she could tell by the looks she gave them whenever they touched or stood just a bit too close. She wasn’t sure if Leekie knew, if he did he wasn’t letting on, but relationships between coworkers weren’t prohibited on the island anyway. Everyone knew that Gracie from finance was dating Mark from animal care. It wasn't an issue. 

Clouds were rolling in from the North side of the island, but it was difficult to tell how ominous they were behind the thick wall of trees. They’d journeyed into a more densely foliated portion of the island, walled in on either side by tropical forest.

“How will we know where she is?” Kira asked, twisting around in her seat to face Delphine and Coisma.

“She has her own enclosure,” Delphine explained, smiling at her. She was a sweet girl, and it was good that she was so inquisitive. “We’ll see the fence.”

“Is it big?” she asked.

“It’s huge,” Leekie said, looking over his shoulder. “We spared no expense on creating a quality environment.”

“Where’s Ferdinand?” Sarah wondered. “I thought he said at lunch that he wanted to come with us?”

Leekie smiled apologetically. “Ferdinand had… other business to attend too.”

 _‘I’m sure he did,’_ Delphine thought. She exchanged a glance with Cosima but neither of them mentioned the encounter they’d overheard. What Cosima didn’t know was that Ferdinand had always been sleazy. Right from the beginning of the project, all he’d cared about was profit.

Before long, they reached the edge of the tyrannosaur enclosure. A fifty-foot electric fence towered above many of the trees, the other side of which was even more dense jungle. The fence went on for longer than they could see and, as they approached, they could hear the low hum of electricity running through the wires.

“Is she alone in there?” Cosima asked, here eyes already sweeping the trees.

“For now,” Delphine answered. “We aren’t entirely sure of the social behaviour of the adults. We don’t want to risk a fight.”

“That would be some fight,” Sarah muttered. She almost looked as if it were something she’d like to see.

“So, where is she?” Cosima asked, dangling halfway out the window for a closer look.

Delphine smiled at her. She’d never seen anyone so animated as she was, she wasn’t even sure she’d ever caught her sitting still. Maybe she would someday, if she were asleep or on a calm morning eating breakfast. Although, she thought with amusement, she might squirm in her sleep too.

She seemed to like it here, which was a very good thing since she was perfectly suited for the job. Delphine's other reasons for wanting her to stay were much more personal, maybe a little unprofessional, but it wasn’t as if she was letting her personal feelings lead her into promoting a poor candidate. Leekie liked Cosima too, even if she herself didn’t seem too fond of him. Nothing that was happening between them was wrong and she knew that if she did chose to stay, then their relationship could be whatever they wanted it to be.

“What’s that?” Kira asked.

The others followed her finger to see a small figure rising from the ground of the enclosure, only a few feet away from the fence. It let out a short bleat, but seemed otherwise unconcerned.

Cosima turned to her. “Is that a goat?”

“Seriously?” Sarah asked Leekie, nodding towards Kira. “Do you really think that’s appropriate?”

“ _Mom,”_ Kira protested.

“It’s the best way to ensure that the guests see our animals,” Leekie told her.

Turning around, Cosima raised an eyebrow at Delphine but she could only shake her head helplessly. She hadn’t known about the goat and her mistake earned her a reproachful frown. She’d need to explain later.

Several minutes passed with the five of them watching in awkward silence. The sky got darker, the air noticeably cooled.

“I guess she’s not hungry,” Sarah commented at last.

“It’s a work in progress,” Leekie told them. “But we can come back tomorrow and maybe she wont be so shy.” He winked a Kira who stared back at him.

“Maybe without the goat, yeah?” Sarah suggested.

Cosima wiggled back into the car, giving Delphine a tight smile but not looking at her long enough to see her mouth a wordless ‘sorry’.

Leekie held the radio to his mouth. “We’re heading back.”

“Good idea,” came the voice from the other end. “There’s a storm coming in. Looks…. we might eve…” his words faded into static.

“Hello?” Leekie called. “Hel-“

With a soft click, the lights in the jeep went out, the GPS at the front shutting down, and they were left in silence.

“Did we just lose power?” Cosima asked, brow furrowed in confusion.

Delphine shook her head, taken aback. “That’s not possible…”

“Well it just happened,” Sarah told her bluntly. “Is that bad?”

“The jeep wont run without it,” Leekie answered.

“So we’re stuck out here?” Cosima guessed. She blew out a breath, falling back onto the seat and crossing her arms. “Awesome.”

“Someone will come to get us,” Delphine assured her. “It shouldn’t be long.”

“Mom?” Kira sounded uncertain.

Thunder rumbled in the distance. The sky was completely overcast with grey now, turning daylight into something closer to twilight.

“It’s OK,” Sarah assured her. “We just need to sit tight monkey.”

“Maybe something is wrong with the engine,” Leekie muttered.

“I might be able to help with that,” Sarah offered, she twisted in her seat. “Cosima, could you keep an eye on Kira?”

“Yeah, of course.” She smiled at Kira. “We’re fine, don’t worry. Just a little technical glitch.”

Sarah and Leekie got out of the car and Kira crawled into the back to squeeze between them.

“Maybe we’ll get to see the t-rex after all,” Cosima told her cheerfully, leaning back so that Kira could see out the window.

“Is she really going to eat the goat?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Cosima answered honestly. “But you knew that she ate meat already right?” she asked gently.

“Would she eat us?” Kira whispered, wiggling closer to Cosima.

Cosima put her arm around her shoulders, shaking her head. “She can’t get out,” she promised.

“The fence is made with very strong materials,” Delphine added, trying to be helpful. “And the electric current…” she trailed off, brows furrowed. Something wasn’t right.

“What?” Cosima’s voice sounded far away.

_No. No that can’t be._

She closed her eyes, listening, but even with the window open it was completely quiet. Her chest tightened.

_Merde._

“I- I’ll be right back,” she mumbled.

“What?” Cosima asked again, concerned now.

“I’ll be right back,” she repeated, not wanting to panic her, or Kira. Cosima stared back at her, confused, and something stirred in her chest, fear just as sharp for the woman in front of her as it was for her own life. Fear for Kira. For Sarah. A nauseating sense of responsibility for anything that might happen next. “Stay inside the vehicle," she added firmly. 

Before Cosima could protest again, Delphine opened the door and slipped outside, closing it behind her.

“Dr. Leekie?” she called.

He and Sarah had opened up the front of the jeep and were leaning down to stare at the engine.

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the jeep,” Leekie was saying.

“There isn’t anything wrong with the Jeep,” Delphine told him tightly.

Leekie turned to her and Sarah stood up, eyes narrowed at the tone of her voice.

“The power is out,” she told him.

“I know the power is out on the jeep,” Leekie told her dismissively. “That’s why it wont-“

“The power is out on the _island,_ ” Delphine blurted.

It took several seconds for what she said to sink in, but when it did Leekie’s eyes widened with fear.

“What?” Sarah demanded, looking back and forth between them. “What does that mean?”

Delphine took a breath, opening her mouth to explain, but before she could there was a loud _thump,_ and the ground shook beneath them.

////

Cosima frowned, watching the exchange between Delphine and the others. She couldn’t hear what they were saying with the doors closed, but they looked upset enough for her to know that Delphine had been hiding something.

Poor Kira was getting nervous. She’d gone quiet, curled up close against her and Cosima didn’t blame her. Stranded in the woods on some far-off island with a storm on the way wasn’t where she’d have wanted to be when she was eight years old either. She didn’t want to be there _now._

“Where’s the goat?” Kira asked.

“Hmm?” Cosima blinked, coming out of her head.

“The goat’s gone,” she said, pointing out the window.

Sure enough, the animal was no where to be seen. The frayed end of the rope lay on the ground, but nothing else remained to show that it had ever been there.

“That’s… interesting,” she commented uneasily.

She looked back towards the front of the vehicle, seeing that Sarah, Delphine and Leekie were all frozen in place, staring at the fence. The looked scared.

“What’s going-“

But before she could finish the thought, Kira screamed.

Cosima's head spun around towards where she was looking to see the tyrannosaur, pushing its snout against the side of the fence, slowly bending the wires.

“It’s OK,” she said quickly, clutching Kira tighter when she buried her face into her shoulder. “She can’t-“

The fence let out a loud groan, a couple of wires giving way under the animal’s weight. Cosima’s heart was beating so fast she thought she was going to throw up.

Kira screamed again just as the tyrannosaur charged into the fence, knocking it to the ground. Cosima curled herself around her, putting her body between her and the dinosaur. The action was more instinctive than useful, if it wanted to eat them it could eat them both with no trouble, but she wasn’t sure what else to do.

“Shhh, shh, shh,” she squeaked.

The little girl was squeezing her so hard it hurt but she quieted when she shushed her.

Cosima didn’t know what was going on behind her but she was too terrified to move. Sarah and Delphine were out there, they were completely exposed and she couldn’t do a thing to help them. She had no idea what to do to protect herself and Kira.

_Oh my god, what is happening? How is this happening?_

Her head was already spinning when something heavy collided with the jeep and sent them rolling off the track. Both she and Kira screamed as the car flipped upside down, rolling over and over, and she pulled her niece in close to her, doing her best to shield her from hitting the edges of the vehicle as they were tossed around in it. Her head hit the steering wheel, pain bursting underneath her skull before everything went black.


	6. Chapter 6

“Kira!” Sarah bolted forward like a frightened rabbit, her eyes locked onto the vehicle that held her daughter and sister. She was so intent on reaching her family that she didn’t see the leg charging towards her.

Without thinking, Delphine launched herself after her, pushing her as hard as she could sideways and out of the way. An enormous foot hit the ground only inches from her nose, right where Sarah had just been and her breath caught when the tyrannosaur stopped in its tracks.

Laying on her stomach, she froze, praying that the others had the sense to do the same, as a snout the size of her torso lowered itself down. It hovered frighteningly close, nostrils sniffing at her.

“Mika no,” she whispered frantically. She tucked her head in, terrified. “Stop, please stop.” _Stop, please stop._

Her eyes shut so tight it hurt, she wondered how much pain she would feel before it killed her. Would it be over quickly? She tried to brace herself for it, to think of something less terrible, but she was so scared she couldn’t think straight.

Rain had started to fall and soon she was soaked to the skin, great drops falling off the dinosaur’s snout and onto her as it took her in.

The animal drew in a long breath, nudging her once. She had to bite down on her tongue to keep from screaming, her whole body was shaking. Then, scuffling feet behind her drew its attention. With a roar, the tyrannosaur stepped over her, running towards the noise.

She looked up, locking eyes with Sarah who was already struggling to her feet. The other woman tilted her head, silently asking if she were OK and the moment Delphine nodded she shot off towards the vehicle.

The sudden movement caught the dinosaur’s attention and it rose its head, turning its body towards Sarah. Delphine’s stomach lurched when she caught sight of the arm dangling from its mouth.

She leapt to her feet. “Mika!” she shouted. It had responded to its nickname before, hadn’t it? She waved her hands, wanting to draw it away from Cosima and her family. “Mika over here.”

It edged towards her and she stumbled backwards, wishing she had a better plan than this one. It paused close to her, too close.

_‘Please just let us go,’ she thought desperately._

It sniffed again, likely confused by the rain and the food in its mouth. Then with a crunch, it burst the rest of Leekie’s body apart, raining blood down onto her. As it lifted its head to swallow him down, Delphine took off in a run.

////

“Auntie Cosima!”

Cosima’s eyes fluttered open, her head feeling like someone was trying to split it in half. Kira sounded far away.

“Cosima!” Sarah this time, distorted.

She felt a hand on her shoulder shaking her. Then someone was pulling her out into fresh air and suddenly rain was pelting her and Sarah’s voice was right next to her ear.

“Cosima!”

“Ow!” she protested.

Sarah let out a long breath, sounding relieved. “Let me see that.” She moved her head and Cosima groaned. “Can you stand?” she demanded.

“I think I’m gonna throw up,” Cosima moaned.

“Cosima can you stand?” Sarah barked.

Her sister’s urgency kicked her into action. She shifted her feet. “I- I don’t know.”

Sarah put an arm under hers and together they managed to get her up on her feet. She saw spots for a few seconds but soon her vision cleared and the nausea passed.

It was too dark to see very far, and the rain had made a mess of her glasses but she heard loud foot steps nearby. Too big to be human.

“Where’s Delphine?” she asked as they took the first few awkward steps together. Kira held onto her other arm, more to stay together than anything helpful but she was glad she knew where she was.

“We have to keep walking,” Sarah told her firmly.

Cosima’s stomach lurched, her voice rising in panic. “Sarah-“

“Shh,” she urged, lowering her voice so that Cosima had to strain to hear her over the rain. “I don’t know. She was right behind me and then…” Cosima let out a frightened sob. “I’m sorry, Cos. I don’t know. I had to get you and Kira.”

Chest aching, Cosima stifled another sob. The less clouded her head became the more she understood the need for silence, to keep moving forward. She forced herself to think of only putting each foot in front of the other, refusing to slow them down, or put them in any more danger than they were in already.

“In here,” Sarah said at last.

Kira let go of her hand, disappearing and Cosima reached out, her palm connecting with wet bark. Sarah guided her a bit to the left and suddenly they were out of the rain and it smelled strongly of wood and dirt.

“We should be safe in here,” Sarah whispered.

She helped Cosima lower herself to the ground, sitting down close to her. Looking towards her Cosima made the blurry shapes of her and Kira huddled together, safe for now. They were OK, but she still had no idea what had happened to Delphine.

Tears burned behind her eyes and she curled her knees to her chest, pushing her mouth into them to silence herself as they streamed hot down her freezing wet cheeks.

Sarah squeezed her shoulder but she couldn’t bring herself to lift her head. Was it fair, that she’d put her family in danger and now her heart was tearing in two for the woman who’d brought them all there? Was this Delphine’s fault? Was it hers?

That didn’t matter right now. All she wanted was for her to be OK. She wanted her back so badly it was making her sick but she’d seen how big that dinosaur was. If she hadn’t followed Sarah…

She whimpered, burying her face deeper into her knees to muffle it.

Sarah rubbed her shoulder, kinder than she thought she deserved. “She saved my life,” she said quietly. “I wasn’t thinking… I was trying to get to you two and…” Cosima whimpered again. “But she was alive when I saw her Cosima,” she pressed.

Cosima wasn’t sure what to do with that information. Whatever else had happened, Delphine had protected her sister. Maybe it had cost her her life doing it. The thought only made the pain worse.

“Mom.” Kira’s sounded like a mouse, whispering fearfully.

Looking up, Cosima managed to blink away enough tears to see her clinging to her mother, looking out into the rain.

_‘I’m so sorry Kira,’ she thought wretchedly. “Oh god.  I’m so sorry.’_

“It’s OK monkey,” Sarah whispered. “We’re gonna get out of this together.”

“There’s someone out there,” Kira said.

Cosima turned to where she was looking, squinting, and after a few seconds she saw a shadow appear in the distance. She bolted to her feet but didn’t move forward, not willing to risk exposing them if it was something rather than someone.

She didn’t have to wait long though, after only a few more seconds she recognized the figure’s shape. She’d recognize it anywhere.

Sarah called her name, hissing it under breath like a warning, but she was off before she had time to think or listen.

Forgetting the throbbing under her skull and how her legs felt like Jell-O, Cosima closed the distance between them in an instant, pulled through the dark and the blinding rain as if by an invisible string.

She heard Delphine’s grunt of surprise when she collided with her, wrapping herself around her, and the other woman was holding her back in a heartbeat. She held her tightly, relief washing over her in waves that made fresh tears stream down her cheeks. Nothing had ever felt as good as Delphine did in that moment. Her arms were strong and warm despite the cold, but soon the both of them were shaking. It was like she’d been underwater and was finally surfacing, taking a long hungry gulp of air.

“Are you OK?” she asked, squeaking with relief. She turned to plant a frantic kiss on her cheek but the smell of blood filled her nostrils, engulfing her, and she realized that Delphine was covered in it. She pulled back, trying to see her in the blurry darkness. “Delphine?!”

There was so much of it, the air reeked of it and she’d gotten it all over herself. Had she hurt her just now? How was she still standing? Was it the adrenaline? Where was it all coming from? Was she going to drop in a minute? Could she… could she die? Her heart hammered in her chest, heavy with panic.

“It’s not mine,” Delphine said quickly and Cosima let out a long breath of relief, relaxing when she felt steady hands on her cheeks. “I-it’s… It was Leekie’s… He’s….He’s dead…” Careful fingers touched the side of her head, horror giving way to concern. “You’re bleeding.”

Leekie was dead. The thought drove in how real all of this was, how much danger they were in, but Cosima pushed it down. She didn’t have time to lose it right now.

“I’m OK,” she told Delphine.

She let her gently turn her head, inspecting it. She could probably see a lot better than Cosima could through her glasses and she wondered how bad it looked. It still hurt but after what had happened to Leekie, after how hurt she’d thought Delphine was a moment ago, it didn’t seem like a lot to complain about.

Thunder boomed on and off in the distance but they ignored it. Cosima barely heard it, the way she barely noticed the rain now that she was already soaked through. Hopefully it was washing some of the blood off of them.

Delphine drew a breath through her teeth in sympathy. “I don’t think it’s that deep.” Very carefully, she kissed the skin next to the injury.

Cosima closed her eyes at the touch of her lips, ignoring the sickening smell of blood. It was in her clothes, in her hair, and now it was smudged into Cosima’s shirt too, but she didn’t regret holding her or letting her kiss her now. She needed her near her more than she needed to get away from it.

 “Where are Sarah and Kira?” Delphine asked, pulling away.

“They’re in here.” Cosima took her hand, squeezing it tightly, but she quickly realized she wasn’t going to be much of a guide in her current state. “There should be a tree with a hollow in it…”

“I see it,” Delphine told her, moving to the lead.

Soon they were out of the rain again.

“What happened?” Sarah asked, alarmed when she caught sight of them. “Are you hurt?”

Cosima was trying to wipe off her glasses on her shirt but it was as soaked as they were and she wasn’t having much luck. It may have been easier with two hands but she couldn’t bring herself to let go of Delphine.

“It’s not my blood,” Delphine said numbly and that ended the conversation.

They sat down, Cosima huddled between Delphine and Sarah, Kira on Sarah’s other side, and listened to the rain and the thunder.

“How’s your head?” Sarah asked after a few minutes.

“It’s fine,” Cosima assured her. The pain had dulled to an ache now.

“I’ll stay awake,” Delphine offered. “To keep watch. And I’ll wake Cosima up in an hour just…" Her voice faltered. "Just in case…”

_‘In case I have a concussion,’ Cosima finished for her. But neither of them could say it. ‘What are you going to do if I do? If I don’t wake up? We don’t even know how to get back in this storm.’_

She’d die. If something was wrong with her head she was going to die, there was no going to a hospital. If something found them in here, if they didn’t find their way back to the main building tomorrow, they would all die. Just like Leekie had.

Kira hadn’t spoken yet but Cosima could see Sarah stroking her hair, hear her whispering softly into her temple that they were going to be OK. She was so brave, so much stronger than Cosima was and Kira was so small. How could they ever forgive her for doing this to them? Once again, she found her cheeks warm with tears.

“I am so sorry,” Delphine whispered, quiet enough that only Cosima could hear. She sounded like she was crying too.

Cosima leaned her head on her shoulder, unsure how she felt about Delphine’s part in why they were there, but knowing that her relief at the other woman being alive was going to outweigh any anger she felt tonight. She loved her, she realized. She loved her all the way down to her bones, that was the only explanation for how scared she’d been less than an hour ago, how she felt now. She just needed her near where she could touch her, hear her breathing, know she was OK.

“I’m glad you’re safe,” she whispered.

Delphine kissed her above her ear before leaning her cheek onto her hair and Cosima closed her eyes, nestled against her. Sarah’s hand was wrapped around her own, her sister still wide awake, and she had the warm body of someone she loved safe on either side of her. She could hear Kira’s breathing even out as she managed to fall asleep, completely unharmed from the crash.

They were OK and she had them with her. For now, that was the most important thing in the world, that she knew where the people she loved were. She didn’t have room to care about anything else tonight.


	7. Chapter 7

“I still think it’s faster to take the main road,” Sarah said, standing arms crossed over the map they’d recovered from the jeep.

“We don’t know how many of the other animals are loose,” Delphine told her, shaking her head. “Mika might-“

“Yeah, I don’t care about your bloody pet dinosaur,” Sarah cut in harshly. “I just want to get my kid and my sister of this island.”

Delphine knew Sarah was excluding her from the rest of them on purpose. She and Cosima were standing together on the other side of the map they’d set down on a fallen tree. Kira fiddled awkwardly with a broken branch behind them. The divide between them was far thicker than the width of the tree. She looked to Cosima for help but the other woman darted her gaze away. She’d barely looked at her all morning, shifting away from her the moment she’d found herself awake on her shoulder.

 Maybe she deserved that.

She took a breath. “That’s what I want too.” She tapped her finger on the other route. “Which is why I am telling you that we should go this way.” It was longer, she could see why Sarah didn’t think it looked as appealing, but she also knew it was much safer.

“Because your advice has been really helpful so far,” Sarah shot back coldly.

“Why was the electric current the only thing keeping her in there?” Cosima added. Her disapproval was written all over her face and it was Delphine’s turn to avoid eye contact.

“We have a back up generator,” she said under her breath. “It shouldn’t have been possible for the power to go out.”

“That’s like saying we don’t need lifeboats because the ship can’t sink,” Cosima muttered bitterly.

“What does this have to do with anything?” Sarah demanded.

“It’s a movie, Sarah,” Cosima explained. “And it did actually happen in-“

“I know it’s a movie!” Sarah exclaimed. “But I don’t care about the generator or the electric fences. I just want to get out of here.”

 “OK, but if the electricity is the only thing keeping the other predators in…” Cosima pressed slowly.

Comprehension darkened Sarah’s expression and she crossed her arms frustration. “Bloody hell Cosima.”

“I’m just telling you-“ Cosima objected.

“Yeah, well I might be done listening to your advice too,” Sarah spat back.

Cosima flinched, her eyes bright with pain. “I didn’t mean for this to happen,” she said quietly.

“You didn’t stop it either,” Sarah muttered.

The air between them was a thick sheet of ice. Cosima looked like she wanted to cry but was holding it in.

“Sarah, I-“

“Don’t,” Sarah interrupted sharply. She took a step back from her, putting her hands up between them. “S was right. I should have just stayed home with my real family. We’re taking the main road.”

She stalked away to talk to KIra, leaving Cosima struggling to control herself. Her pain snapped like waves of heat around her, a living thing all its own, but Delphine knew that there was nothing she could do about it. Any attempt at comfort would be met by the same sharp coldness she’d been giving her since they woke up and it would only make things worse. The only thing she could do for her now was get her out of here.

“The back roads are safer,” she repeated, quiet but resolute. “We won’t be as visible and there are more places to hide if we-“

“We’re taking the main road,” Cosima told her bluntly. “I trust Sarah.”

“Cosima this isn’t about trust,” Delphine pressed.

“You don’t have to come with us,” she said coldly.

Delphine grit her teeth, doing her best to hide the sting those words left. _She can’t mean that._

“I’m not leaving you,” she said simply. “I am going to do everything in my power to get you out of here. I’ll make sure you all get home.”

Cosima stared back at her, shaking her head slightly. “How can I believe that?”

“You don’t have to believe it,” Delphine told her. “I’m still going to do it.”

She sighed, staring back at her with what for a fraction of a second could have been longing. Then she turned away, stepping towards her family.

“I’m taking the main road with you,” she told Sarah.

Sarah nodded, but she wouldn’t look at her. She took Kira’s hand, the little girl looking between her and Cosima uncomfortably before following alongside her mother. Cosima trailed behind them and Delphine folded up the map and followed her. Neither of them turned to make sure she was coming.

_‘She hates me,’ Delphine thought wretchedly. ‘And maybe she’s right.’_

/////

Michigan, USA  
2 Months earlier

“What are you doing?” Delphine chuckled.

She set her glass wine down on Cosima’s desk, turning her head to follow her as she danced around the room. Her friend reminded her of a cross between an octopus and a puppy. It was strange but endearing.

They were in Cosima’s room, winding down after a dinner that was more paperwork than food, and Cosima had offered her a glass of wine before she’d turned on her CD player. It was a welcome change from the recruiting process.

Cosima wove around her, continuing her elaborate arm movements with a grin. “I’m dancing.”

“That isn’t dancing,” Delphine laughed.

She scoffed at her, mildly offended. “It’s totally dancing.”

“What are we listening to?” Delphine asked. She couldn’t seem to take her eyes off of her, twisting around to follow her as she moved around her.

“Do you like it?” Cosima asked, not breaking pace.

She raised an eyebrow. “The music is fine.” _You are just adorable._

“Don’t be a hater,” Cosima scolded. “It’s fun, try it.”

Delphine shook her head, laughing. “I don’t think I’d know how.”

“You don’t have to do exactly what I do,” she told her, joining her hands and waving her arms in front of herself. “Just… move to the music.”

“I do know what dancing is,” she objected. “I’ve actually had formal lessons…”

“Of course you have,” Cosima teased, wiggling her eyebrows and if Delphine didn’t know any better she’d almost say she was flirting. Maybe it was just the wine. Cosima took her hands. “ _C’mon_ , it’s fun.”

Grinning, Cosima started twisting her body back and forth, pulling Delphine’s arms along with her. It was like looking at a puppy with a Frisbee in its mouth or being ten years old and hearing your friend calling you to come play. It was inviting and innocent in a way she hadn’t felt in a very long time. It was moving for the simple joy of moving and it was warming her heart.

 Slowly, Delphine started to shift back and forth between her feet, swaying in time with Cosima who kept quickening the pace until they were both giggling.

“I see the lessons are paying off,” Cosima commented with a smirk.

“You are such a brat,” she complained, but she couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “You know, none of the other candidates asked me to dance with them.”

“So this isn’t part of your plan to get me to come work with you?” Cosima asked playfully. She let go of one hand, spinning around and Delphine raised her arm to let her, feeling a burst of affection.

“No,” she said. Why was she blushing? She hoped Cosima wouldn’t notice.

“Does this mean I’m winning?” she asked mischievously.

Delphine laughed, a real laugh that she felt down in her belly. It was good. “You’re certainly my favourite to be with,” she told her fondly. “And fortunately for me you are also the most qualified.”

She wiggled her eyebrows again. “You’re saying you want to keep me around?”

They’d come closer than she’d expected, so close she could see the patterns in her irises behind her glasses. They were beautiful. _She_ was beautiful, and it was making her heartbeat roar past her ears.

Her mouth opened, but no words came out.

Cosima smiled, tilting her head. “I think we both know what this is really about.”

_‘I hope one of us does,’ Delphine thought, confused._

Carefully, Cosima leaned forward, her eyes fluttering closed. It was as if she were moving in slow motion but still her lips were on hers before Delphine had a chance to realize what was going on. Her stomach bubbled, her body wanting her to close her eyes but she pulled away instead.

For a moment, they stared at each other and she watched Cosima’s expression shift from dreamlike to confused to hurt.

“Did I just make a huge mistake?” she asked, alarmed.

Delphine shook her head, the room spinning out of focus. The atmosphere had shifted so fast she was having trouble adjusting. She didn’t like that she’d hurt her feelings but at the same time she didn’t want to let her think the kiss had meant something that it didn’t.

And what did it mean? Why were her lips still tingling? Why did she want her to do it again?

“It’s fine,” she said awkwardly, backing away.

“Delphine, I’m sorry,” Cosima spluttered.

She had her coat in her hands before she knew she was reaching for it. “It’s OK,” she repeated. “I just… I forgot something at work.”

Cosima followed her to the door, watching her go but not saying anything to stop her. She looked mortified but Delphine needed to leave. She couldn’t think in here with her staring at her like that.

“It’s OK,” she said again. “Bye.”

The door closed behind her and she hurried down the hall. It was almost like being drunk, but she knew she hadn’t had enough wine for that. She couldn’t think, her heart was beating too fast. She left the building, stopping to rest against a tree only when she knew she was out of sight.

_‘What is wrong with you?’ she scolded herself. ‘It was only a kiss, it was nothing to be afraid of.’_

She remembered the hurt in Cosima’s eyes and shut her own. Why had she left like that? She could have at least stayed long enough to explain herself. What must the other woman be thinking right now? That she’d lost her friendship? That she’d lost the job? That… that Delphine thought there was something wrong with her?

The last thought was the worst. Cosima was wonderful, she adored her and she couldn’t stand the idea of her thinking otherwise. She didn’t care who she liked to kiss.

Except she did. She cared that she’d wanted to kiss _her._ She cared because…

Her eyes still shut, she recalled the feeling of her lips on hers. They were soft, moving slower than she’d thought possible for Cosima. And she’d smelled so good….

_‘I care,’ she realized slowly, clarity stilling the ground beneath her. ‘Because I want her to kiss me again.’_

/////

The Island  
Present

Cosima listened for Delphine’s steps behind her. She wasn’t sure what she’d have done if she’d actually decided to take the other route, but thought of it made her throat close up.

Thankfully, Delphine hadn’t left them. Maybe she had meant what she said. Cosima didn’t really think she doubted that she’d try, she wasn’t foolish enough to think that any of this meant Delphine didn’t care about her, but after everything she had her doubts on whether she _could_ get them out of here. If she’d let them get into this, how could they trust her to know how to get them out?

So of course, she was following Sarah. It wasn’t a difficult decision. Sarah was a survivor, Delphine had been careless with the lives of two of the people Cosima loved most in the world. She was even a little angry with her for almost getting _herself_ killed last night, although the fact that she’d protected Sarah softened the edges of her anger just a little.

The humidity was making it harder to breathe and her skin was already hot and clammy from the scorching sun, even between the trees. Her shirt reeked of blood and sweat, which wasn’t helping the breathing situation or her aching head. Between all that and Sarah’s driving pace, after about two and a half hours she had to sit down.

“Sarah…” she called. “Wait…” She almost regretted that she hadn’t taken up jogging with Alison last fall. Almost.

Her sister paused, annoyed for a moment before she noticed her sitting on the ground. She had a headache again, pounding in time with her heartbeat, and the thick air wasn’t helping. Her face was twisted in a grimace and she held her head between her hands, trying to dull the pain.

“We have to keep moving,” Sarah told her, coming to kneel beside her. She shrugged of her backpack, finding one of the water bottles and handing it to her, gentler now. “Just a few minutes OK?”

Cosima took the bottle with a quiet ‘thank you’, unscrewing the cap and taking a long gulp.

“She lost a lot of blood last night,” Delphine said, hovering nervously around them. “She may be dehydrated.”

It annoyed Cosima to be talked about as if she weren’t there, but the water did feel good so she ignored it in favor of continuing to drink.

“Is she gonna be OK?” Sarah asked her.

 _Seriously? You too?_ At least she was acting as if she cared again.

“I’m not a doctor,” Delphine answered helplessly. She bent down to look at the cut on her head again and at last Cosima had had enough.

She lowered the bottle, carefully screwing the cap back on. “I just needed a break,” she told them impatiently. “I’m sure all of you could use a drink too,” she added, trying to change the subject.

“You thirsty Kira?” Sarah asked, going back into her bag again when Kira nodded.

Kira cast a concerned glance at Cosima who did her best to smile at her.

After she’d retrieved a bottle for herself and her daughter, Sarah leaned the bag towards Delphine.

“There should be a few more in there,” Cosima told her. _Please stop looking at me like I’m going to keel over._

Delphine nodded, looking surprised. “Thank you.”

_‘Did she think we were going to keep all the water to ourselves?’_

“Why Mika?” she asked, needing a distraction from all the tension.

“What?” Delphine stopped herself midway to taking a sip.

“Why did you call her Mika?” she asked again.

“It’s her tag number,” she explained quietly, staring at the bottle. “3MK 29A.”

“That sounds like a postal code,” Sarah commented. “Like a ZIP code,” she added when Cosima turned to her.

“I know,” Cosima said. “It kind of does. I like 324 B21.”

Delphine gave her a small smile and she let herself smile back.

“What’s that?” Kira asked.

“It’s one of the newborns we saw,” Cosima explained. “Delphine showed me where they all hatch. She shows up when they’re born to tag them, so they imprint on her. Do you know what means?”

“Like a duck?” Kira guessed.

Cosima smiled at her. “Yeah, exactly like a duck.”

Sarah frowned. “What, so these things think she’s their mum?” She turned to Delphine. “Is that why it didn’t eat you?”

Delphine shrugged. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t count on it. They’re still wild animals not pets.”

“That’s great,” Sarah muttered. “Because the last thing we need is a flock of these them following us around.”

The image that brought up in her head made Cosima snort.

“It’s not funny,” Sarah objected, but she was smirking too.

“That would be some line of ducklings,” Cosima joked.

Kira giggled and Sarah puffed out a short laugh, shaking her head. Even Delphine was smiling.

“Imagine the tyrannosaur waddling around behind me,” she added.

Cosima laughed. “Yeah, and maybe you could teach it to swim in the pond.”

Sarah shook her head, grinning. “Not with those arms.”

Kira mimed the tiny arms flailing in the water, and they all laughed.

Maybe it was just the water, but Cosima was feeling a lot better. She was about to tell them that they could keep going, when a loud _thump_ somewhere in the trees made her breath catch.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes people who love each other say things they don't mean. :( Everyone is a little bit wrong (except Kira, you perfect baby lizard) but I promise you they are all doing their best and they love each other ;)
> 
> Cosima likes 324b21 because when I write, I think of it as a parallel universe and she's connected to the version(s) of herself with that tag number. So a part of her feels like it's familiar. Or not if that's too weird for you XD As a side note, that's why Delphine likes it too.


	8. Chapter 8

Delphine jumped, placing a hand on Cosima’s shoulder, her head snapping towards the source of the sound. Beside her, Sarah had already grabbed Kira and was holding her around the middle. All four of them watched the trees with wide eyed silence.

A head poked its way out of the foliage, broad and boney, about eye level with them if they’d been standing. The creature’s shoulders came next and Delphine recognized the ankylosaurus.

“Back up,” she whispered, still holding onto Cosima as they slowly rose to their feet. “Not too fast,” she warned.

The animal let out a low growl and she shifted herself so that she was in front of the others, not taking her eyes off of it.

“She isn’t a predator,” she told them quietly. “She wont want to harm us. We probably scared her.” She pushed Cosima back a bit before taking a step forward towards it.

“What are you doing?” Cosima hissed.

“Shh,” she hushed, keeping her eyes on the animal. “Keep backing up.” Cosima grabbed at her arm but she gently shook her off. “ _Stay back,”_ she warned quietly.

“Cos, get over here,” Sarah growled.

Delphine heard Cosima take a few steps away from her but she didn’t go nearly as far as she’d wanted her to. As much as she felt like she deserved her mistrust, she wished she’d just listen to her. Or at least to Sarah.

She couldn’t think about that now though, the ankylosaurus had its eyes on her, watching her every move.

“C’est bon,” she cooed at it, inching to the right to draw its attention away. “C’est bon, mon petit poussin.”

She hoped it couldn’t sense how afraid she was. The long breaths she took through her nose weren’t stopping her hands from shaking.

It took a step towards her, letting out a rumbling growl. It didn’t look like it remembered her, and why should it? It wasn’t an avian dinosaur; it wouldn’t have imprinted on her like the others did. Still she could draw it away, give Cosima and her family a head start.

Why weren’t the other two moving?

Her foot snapped a twig and the creature startled, letting out a roar before charging for her. She tripped just as it swiped its tail, narrowly missing being smacked in the head by the colossal club at the end of it. The movement blew air like a gust of wind over her face.

“Delphine!” Cosima shrieked. Delphine twisted around just in time to see her hurl a large stick at the dinosaur. “Get _away_ from her!”

It roared again, this time at Cosima and Delphine was on her feet, sprinting to her and grabbing her hand.

“Run!” she shouted, dragging her along without breaking pace.

Sarah lifted Kira off her feet and broke off into a run, Delphine and Cosima right behind her. The ground shook behind them as the dinosaur took chase. She still had Cosima’s hand in hers and she refused to let go even as she found herself slowing down for her. Sarah was far ahead of them but she skidded to a halt when another ankylosaurus appeared out of the forest in front of her. Thinking fast, she veered towards one of the taller trees, boosting Kira up first.

“Hurry, Monkey,” she urged sharply, scrambling up behind her. The pair of them shot up the trunk like terrified squirrels. “Over here!” she called to Cosima and Delphine.

“Cosima go,” she said quickly, pushing her in front when they reached the trunk. There was a branch not too far above her head. If Sarah could reach it, then she could too.

But Cosima faltered, fire in her eyes. “Don’t you dare leave me again,” she hissed.

“I won’t,” Delphine promised, her heart jolting at what she’d said. “But you have to go.”

Cosima nodded, satisfied with that answer and did as Delphine had asked. She was even quicker than her sister was, moving like she already knew the tree and Delphine was soon hurrying up behind her. Once they’d gotten enough height, she took one of the branches just under Cosima’s. The other woman surprised her by reaching down to touch her shoulder, clutching her shirt as if to make sure she was really there. Their eyes met but Delphine couldn’t identify the emotion in Cosima’s expression, though she saw that it was a powerful one.

She reached up, offering her hand, and Cosima held onto it tightly, letting out a breath before looking back down at the animals. Delphine followed her gaze and together in the high branches the four of them watched the enormous creatures.

“What are they doing?” Sarah asked breathlessly.

The animals had lost interest in them, circling each other instead.

“They’re territorial,” Delphine explained. “They wont like being so close to each other like this.”

“Mom?” Kira called uncertainly.

“It’s OK,” Sarah told her gently. The little girl was sitting on a branch above her mother, hugging the trunk of the tree. Sarah reached up to squeeze her leg. “They’re just going to have a bit of a fight and then they’re going to leave us alone and we can keep going OK?”

“OK,” she said shakily.

“Is everyone OK?” Sarah asked. “Monkey?”

Kira nodded. “Yeah.”

“I’m fine,” Cosima told them. She looked to Delphine who nodded at her.

“I’m OK too.”

One of the animals roared and Kira started, moving down towards Sarah.

“OK, careful,” Sarah said gently, guiding her down. When she reached her, Sarah wrapped her up in her arms and let her hide her head in her shirt. “We’re OK,” she soothed, stroking her hair.

Watching them, Delphine felt a fresh wave of guilt. She shouldn’t have brought them here, any of them. This park should never have had guests, and she was going to make sure it never did again. Why hadn’t she seen, before it was too late, how wrong things could go?

Below, one of the ankylosaursus swiped its tail at the other, hitting its side with a sickening _crack._

“What were you doing back there?” Cosima demanded, pulling her hand back and out of Delphine's grasp. When Delphine looked up she was surprised by how fierce she looked.

“I was doing what I said I’d do,” she told her simply, not understanding her reaction. “Protecting you.”

Cosima shook her head, unimpressed by that answer. “What, by getting yourself killed? You _just_ told us they weren’t pets.”

“Yeah, what were you calling that thing?” Sarah asked, shouting over the sound of another club hitting thick armor.

It would be over soon. Fights weren’t usually long although they could be brutal. Soon there would be a winner and the animals would leave. Then they could leave too.

“A chick,” she explained. “Its what I called them when they were young. I was hoping maybe it would… calm her…”

“It’s not the right kind of dinosaur for that,” Cosima objected, still looking upset.

“There’s a right kind of dinosaur?” Sarah muttered.

“Then at least I would have given you a head start,” Delphine shot back. _She hadn’t known what she was doing. Was that what they wanted to hear? How inept she was at all this?_

One ankylosaurus bleated pitifully, beginning to limp away.

“Wow, OK,” Cosima shook her head again, agitated. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Delphine made a face at her, offended.

The victor was still roaring in triumph below.

“And you were going to… what?” Cosima pressed. “Try to ward off the dinosaur by yourself?” She glanced up at Kira, leaning forward and lowering her voice so that she wouldn’t hear. “It would have killed you, Delphine.”

“What else did you want me to do?” Delphine demanded, exasperated.

“Act like we’re in this together!” Cosima shot back. “We’re _all_ making it out of this together.”

“This is my fault,” she snapped. “I won’t let any of you get hurt because of my mistake.”

Cosima raised her hands, incredulous. “So what, you’re just gonna throw your life away for one mistake?”

“It was a pretty big mistake,” Sarah put in fairly.

“You’re not helping,” Cosima told her flatly.

“It isn’t throwing it away,” Delphine objected. “I just…” she faltered, searching for a way to explain how much the thought of any one of them dying because of her terrified her. “I want to fix this.”

Cosima sighed, shaking her head like Delphine was being foolish. “Then fix it for all of us.”

 _All of us._ For a moment, she was too overcome with emotion to speak. Cosima meant her too. Was this forgiveness? Maybe it was the start of it.

“Delphine didn’t want us to get lost, right mom?” Kira said. She looked to Delphine who slowly shook her head.

“I would never have let you come here if I thought this could happen,” she vowed solemnly. “And no one is ever going to come here again.”

Kira looked back at Sarah expectantly and her mother sighed. “Yeah, OK.” She turned to Delphine. “Cosima’s right, we’re in this together. It’s the only way we’re gonna get off this island.”

“Thank you,” Delphine said gratefully. Sarah’s mouth twitched in an almost smile.

“And I’m not leaving here without you,” Cosima added firmly. Their eyes met and she could see how much she meant it. Cosima took her hand, rubbing her thumb over the back of her palm. “Stop scaring the shit out of me,” she added in a whisper.

Slowly, Delphine felt her mouth lift in a smile. She chuckled in relief, not realizing until just then how much the wedge between them had been weighing her down. Cosima smiled back before releasing her hand.

“I think we can climb down now,” Sarah told them. “They’re gone.”

The made their way to the ground, Sarah helping Kira down because she was too small to jump on her own. She asked her if she was OK one more time, checking her over as she nodded that she was. Then she turned to Cosima.

“Cosima what I said before…” She shook her head. “You’re my family too, OK? You, Alison, Helena, you’re my family. I can’t do this without you.”

Cosima nodded, eyes bright. “Yeah, I know,” she answered softly.

Sarah moved forward and they embraced each other, holding on tightly and the pair of them visibly relaxed. Kira had moved to stand beside Delphine, smiling up at her when she glanced her way and Delphine smiled back warmly. Something had shifted between all of them, a sense of solidarity that ran deeper than any quarrel or even the guilt Delphine still felt.

“C’mon,” said Sarah, pulling back. “Let’s get out of here.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how much the French makes sense, I have never seen someone try to calm down an angry dinosaur in French lol. But I did my best.
> 
> I don't remember if that species is in any of the films but it is pretty cool.


	9. Chapter 9

The four of them trekked on along the main road, listening carefully especially when they reached the open grasslands. In the distance, they could see the bridge that crossed over the roaring river. Already they could hear the gush of water. Cosima longingly imagined that it was cool and fresh.

Delphine had taken the backpack, stepping forward before Cosima could volunteer when Sarah decided it was time to give Kira a piggyback. The poor kid was exhausted from the long walk, the stress and the lack of sleep, and she’d started to slow down about half an hour ago. Now she was half asleep with her head resting on her mother’s shoulder.

“How are you feeling?” Delphine asked, her eyes resting on the cut above Cosima’s eye for about the dozenth time since they’d left the tree.

“Still the same as I was five minutes ago,” she answered grouchily. “It hurts but I’m OK. I could have taken the backpack.”

“You can take a turn later,” Delphine told her.

“We’re almost there,” she muttered. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Delphine frowning at her and sighed. “Sorry, I’m just… getting hungry.” _And thirsty, and tired, and I hot and scared out of my mind that something is going to come charging at us._

“Is there anymore water?” Kira asked wearily, lifting her head.

“Sorry, Monkey,” Sarah said. “We’re all out. But we should be there soon and then you can have all the water you want.”

“Can we eat too?” she asked.

Cosima’s stomach grumbled at that.

“Whatever you want,” Sarah promised her, smiling optimistically. “You can have ice cream for dinner if you want, what do you think?”

“No,” Kira giggled.

“No?” Sarah adjusted her hold on her daughter, pretending to sound surprised. “Broccoli then?”

Kira laughed. “No.”

“I want ice cream,” Cosima said, doing her best to sound cheerful. “And mashed potatoes. And apple pie.”

“I would love some crepes with that ice cream,” Delphine added, closing her eyes longingly.

“I don’t care as long as it’s food,” Sarah said.

“Me too,” Kira agreed.

“Me three,” Cosima admitted.

“Me… four?” Delphine raised an eyebrow, confused. “Is that something you say?”

They all laughed.

“Not usually, but it’s cute,” Cosima told her, happy when that made her smile. She tilted her head, grinning at her. “I could make crepes for you sometime.”

“ _You_ know how to make crepes?” Sarah asked incredulously.

“I could order crepes for you sometime,” Cosima clarified, shooting Sarah a look.

Sarah grinned. “Oh yeah, Delphine, your girlfriend’s really great at ordering things. She has an entire drawer full of takeout menus.”

Cosima was ready to say that _she_ wasn’t such a great cook either, but before she could Delphine laughed, moving in gracefully midstride to plant a kiss on her cheek.

“I’d like that,” she told her fondly. “You’re very sweet.”

Cosima blushed, her cheek tingling, and for a minute she forgot how tired she was.

“Is that a truck?” Kira asked, pointing towards the bridge.

“About time,” Sarah said disapprovingly. “What do you think took so long for the rescue?” she asked Delphine.

“Maybe they had trouble from the storm?” Delphine guessed, but she sounded uncertain.

Cosima waved her arms. “Hey! Over here!”

Sarah put Kira down, stretching her shoulder, and her daughter ran ahead towards the truck.

“Be careful,” Sarah called after her.

“I’m sure they wont hit her,” Cosima assured her.

“Yeah but there are still giant flesh eating lizards on the lose,” she answered under her breath.

“They’re not-“ Cosima began, but Sarah was already hurrying after her daughter.

The truck came to a halt and a man stepped out. After a moment, Cosima recognized Ferdinand and she was about to call out to him when he pulled out a gun, aiming it at Kira.

“Don’t move,” he warned.

Sarah’s arms were up in the air immediately, Cosima and Delphine complying along with her. Kira screamed but Ferdinand grabbed her, pointing the gun at Sarah. Cosima’s heart was in her throat.

“She’s just a kid,” Sarah shouted desperately. “Just let her go. Whatever it is, we’ll do it.”

“You.” He pointed the gun at Cosima and she flinched. “Come here.”

Delphine turned to her, shaking her head ever so slightly. “Cosima…” she breathed.

“He has Kira,” she told her helplessly.

Delphine swallowed, closing her eyes. A tear rolled down her cheek, but she nodded.  

“I’ll be OK,” Cosima promised softly. _Probably._

Slowly, with her hands in the air, she walked towards Ferdinand and Kira, past Sarah who had tears running down her cheeks too. She stared back and forth between Kira and Cosima miserably and Cosima forced a brave smile.

When she reached him, Ferdinand grabbed her arm, shoving the gun against her back. She let out a yelp and Kira whimpered.

“No!” Delphine yelled.

Sarah was in tears and Cosima thought her heart was going to explode. What the hell did he want?

“You’re quite fond of this one, aren’t you?” Ferdinand asked dryly, staring at Delphine as he spoke. “Don’t think I didn’t notice. Everyone knows. I could probably just take her… but I think the pair of them would be better insurance.”

Sarah shook her head. “Please…” she begged. “Take me. For whatever it is, take me and let them go.”

“You’re not the one she’s in love with,” Ferdinand told her, tilting his head towards Delphine. “But I’m sure you’ll cooperate, for your daughter and your sister’s sake.”

Her expression filled with rage. "Why are you doing this?" she demanded.

He nodded his head towards Delphine. "Because I need her to cooperate if I want to get off this island. I saw you walking down the road on the security footage and I knew you'd be my best chance." 

"Best chance at what?" Sarah asked angrily. 

Ferdinand shook his head. "That's none of your business." He turned towards Delphine. "I know how much you care about her," he said. "If you want her and the little girl to live, you'll do exactly as I say." 

Delphine's eyes had been locked onto Cosima from the moment the gun had turned on her and she didn't look away even as she spoke to Ferdinand. “Whatever it is you want, I’ll give it to you,” she told him.

“You’re going to walk back to the main building,” he said slowly. “And order a ferry to leave for the mainland. I know you have clearance to do that.”

Delphine nodded. “Of course.”

She looked as terrified as Cosima felt but she managed to give her a tight smile, as if trying to assure her that it was going to be OK, which Cosima was grateful for even if she didn’t entirely believe that. It was all she could do not to start crying.

“Be sure to tell them I have clearance,” Ferdinand continued. “If I don’t get on that ferry, I’m going to kill both of them and its going to be messy, do you understand?”

Sarah was shaking, tears streaming down her face, and she looked as if she’d like to strangle him. Delphine had tears on her cheeks too, her eyes bright with fear, but she kept her voice even.

“I understand. You’ll get onto a ferry,” she swore. “As long as you’ll promise to let Cosima and Kira go unharmed.”

“I’ll let them go when I reach the mainland,” he told her.

She opened her mouth to object but Ferdinand raised the gun to Cosima’s forehead and her mouth snapped shut. Cosima shut her eyes tight, losing her battle with her tears. She’d never even seen a gun before today. Kira was so still and silent behind her that she might have been made of stone.

“I’m not bargaining with you,” he warned menacingly. “I have two hostages. I’ll kill one if I have to.”

“OK,” Delphine said quickly. “OK, whatever you want.”

Cosima opened her eyes, looking at Sarah first and then Delphine. Even facing down a t-rex, she’d never seen them so miserable. She tried to smile at them but she couldn’t.

 _‘Is this the last they’ll see of me?’ she wondered._ The thought left her sick to her stomach.

“Good.” Ferdinand turned his attention to Sarah who was only a few feet away. “Go stand beside her,” he ordered.

Sarah hesitated, her eyes on Kira and Cosima.

“Go!” he barked and she complied. He shoved Cosima towards the truck, dragging Kira with one arm. “You’re driving.”

Should she tell him that she’d never driven a truck before?

Ferdinand pushed Kira, who still hadn’t said anything, into the backseat. The little girl stared ahead with wide eyes.

“We’re gonna be OK,” Cosima told her. “We just need to do as he says OK?”

Kira nodded jerkily and Ferdinand took the seat beside Cosima, sticking the gun against her ribs.

“Drive,” he ordered.

Cosima took a breath. “Let Kira go. You only need me. They’ll cooperate for me.”

“Drive,” he repeated icily.

“They’re in the way,” she said, stalling.

“They’ll move,” Ferdinand growled. “Now drive or I’ll be leaving them with a corpse.”

Out of options, Cosima did as he’d told her.

///

Delphine watched the truck drive out of sight, struggling to control herself. Beside her, Sarah was a mess.

“He’s going to kill them,” she sobbed.

“We don’t know that,” Delphine told her, but it felt like she had a steel rod in her chest. It hurt all the way down from her throat to her stomach. “I have to go call the ferry.”

“He isn’t going to let them go!” Sarah shouted at her. “That’s not how these things work, they’ll know too much.”

She grit her teeth, knowing that Sarah was right, but she couldn’t move. She could still see the terror in Cosima's eyes, hear Kira screaming. The thought of what might happen to them was too much for her to bear.

Sarah grabbed her arm. “We have to go after them.” Their eyes met, but Delphine’s mouth wouldn’t open. “He’s going to kill Cosima,” Sarah shouted, making Delphine flinch. Her lip shook, voice cracking. “He’s gonna kill my kid.”

Delphine shook her head, her mind whirring. “No.”

“We have to go after him,” Sarah said again.

“We’re on foot,” Delphine reminded her numbly. “We’d be too late.”

Sarah let out a hiss of frustration. “Then we’ll call the ferry!”

Delphine stared at her, feeling like an ice sculpture. Maybe he’d let them go if she did. Probably not, but maybe. Maybe. It wasn’t enough. It wasn’t fair. They’d been so close, she’d done everything in her power to keep them safe and now it had all been snatched away.

 Sarah must have seen the light die in her eyes because she grunted angrily, kicking the ground before letting out a scream.

“I’ll kill him,” she screeched.

“Something might hear us,” Delphine said weakly.

“I don’t bloody care!” Sarah shouted.

In all honesty, neither did Delphine. The loose creatures seemed like a faraway problem.

“We have to do as he says,” Sarah decided. “It’s our only chance.”

“Maybe not,” Delphine said slowly. A plan was forming in her had. It wasn’t much but it was better than what they had.

“What?” Sarah demanded.

“Do you know how to shoot a gun?” she asked. It surprised her, how calm she sounded when she was so scared.

“We don’t have a gun, Delphine.”

“I know where to get you a gun and a vehicle,” she told her. “You can go after Ferdinand and I’ll call the ferry. It will buy you more time to get to him.”

Sarah was looking at her as if seeing her for the first time. “You’re asking me to kill him?” she asked quietly.

“I’m asking you if you can get them back,” Delphine said evenly.

She straightened, nodding once. “Yeah, I can use a gun.”

Good. Delphine took a breath. That was good. “Then we’d better get moving.”

////

They were driving up a steep hill and Cosima kept having to push on the gas to keep up her speed. Beside her, Ferdinand was steaming at the truck’s jerky pace.

“Do you actually know how to drive?” he asked condescendingly.

“Well, like, mostly,” she told him. She took her hands off the wheel, gesturing as she spoke. “But, uh… I’ve never really driven a truck bef- woah!”

They hit a pothole and she had to rush to grab the wheel before they swerved into a tree.

“If you are doing this on purpose…” he warned.

“I’m not!” she said quickly. “You’re just making me nervous, OK? Maybe you could put the gun down…”

He scoffed. “Nice try.”

She sighed, twisting in her seat to look at Kira. “You doing OK back there?” she asked gently. Her niece gave her a weak nod and she smiled encouragingly at her. “We’ll get back to your mom and Delphine soon,” she promised.

“Eyes on the road!” Ferdinand snapped.

“OK, OK,” Cosima muttered, turning back around. “It’s not like there’s anyone out here anyway.”

Ferdinand made a disgruntled noise, but he couldn’t object to that. The road had been completely empty since the storm.

“So… why are you doing this?” she asked, making sure to keep her hands on the wheel and her eyes forward this time.

“Do you ever stop talking?” he scoffed.

“I just think we have a right to know why we’re here,” she insisted. She risked a quick glance at him and saw that he was glaring at her. “OK. Fine, don’t tell us.”

They sat in silence for another few minutes. The hill evened out and then they were going down. Cosima pushed on the break so they wouldn’t gain too much speed. She didn’t want them reaching the ferry any sooner than they had to.

“For God’s sake there’s no speed limit right now,” Ferdinand grumbled.

“You were the one who told me to drive safely,” she reminded him, earning herself another grunt of disgust. “You could at least let Kira go at the ferry,” she added before he could continue his objections to her chosen speed.

“This again?” he muttered impatiently.

 “Delphine will cooperate for me and you can take me wherever you want,” she insisted.

“I don’t want him to take you,” Kira said tearfully.

“I’m taking both of you,” he snapped.

“It would be easier to control one person,” Cosima pressed stubbornly.

 He wasn’t going to just let them go, not after they got on that boat. It was far easier for him to leave no witnesses behind who knew where he was, but maybe she could get him to hand Kira over to someone at the docks.

“It's not going to happen,” he told her.

“She’s just a little kid,” Cosima pleaded. “She doesn’t need to be involved in this.”

“Well then _you_ probably shouldn’t have brought her here,” Ferdinand growled. “Now shut up or I’ll break your foot.”

He would do it, Cosima didn’t doubt that. She fell silent but she wasn’t going to give up. He was right, she’d gotten Kira into this and she was going to do everything humanly possible to get her out of it.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this the right thing to do in a hostage situation? Likely no. Don't take my advice. I am but a fanfic writer
> 
> I know there's a random space somewhere in here but I fought with it for about 10 minutes and it wouldn't go away sooooo lol
> 
> Cosima being a terrible driver is one of my favourite headcannons because the stuff people come up with is hilarious and if you haven't seen it you should look it up.


	10. Chapter 10

“What is this place?” Sarah asked, prodding at one of the many rifles that hung on the wall.

The door had been locked and they’d opened it with an old fashion key instead of a pass card. The walls were lined with weapons, some of them tranquilizers, some of them not. A large map of the island was displayed on the table at the centre of the room, which Delphine was now examining.

“This is one of the main security offices,” Delphine explained.

“Where is everyone?” Sarah asked. She took down one of the riffles. She knew this model, Siobhan had shown her how to use it one time.

"Most of the staff wanted to take a vacation before the park opened," she said regretfully. 

Sarah felt Delphine’s eyes on her as she checked to see if the was loaded.

“You know how to use that one?” Delphine asked. Sarah gave her nod and she nodded back, all business. “Good. Come here.”

 _‘When did we decide you were in charge?’ Sarah wondered._ She scowled at her, but with Kira and Cosima in danger she wasn’t going to waste time arguing about that.

“This is the fastest route to the ferry,” she told her, tracing her finger along the main road. “But If you turn off onto the side roads here,” she tapped at the right side of a fork close to where the docks were, “you can sneak up on him more easily. And then…” she looked up, meeting Sarah’s gaze. “Then you do whatever you have to do.”

Sarah grunted. “Don’t worry about that, I’m not letting him hurt my daughter or Cosima.”

“Neither am I,” Delphine promised. “I’ll stall him for as long as possible. But Sarah… you must be careful. This is a delicate situation.”

“I know what I’m doing,” Sarah told her.

Delphine nodded but her lips were pressed together in a thin line and Sarah could see the fear in her eyes. She busied herself with drawing the path onto the map with a pen but her hands were shaking. Her breathing was fast and shallow. It sounded as if she were trying very hard not to cry.

“Hey,” Sarah put a hand on her wrist and she looked up, startled. There were tears in her eyes. “You can’t lose it on me OK? I need you to help me. We’ll get them back.”

They stared at each other. Sarah wanted to cry too. She wanted to scream and break things and get angry but more than any of that she just wanted her kid and her sister back. She’d let Kira have all the ice cream she wanted, she’d listen to Cosima’s rambling gladly if only she could see them again.

“She can’t die because of me,” Delphine’s voice was small.

To both of their surprise, Sarah laughed. “This time, Delphine,” she told her. “It’s not your fault.” Reluctantly, Delphine let out a watery chuckle and she gave her wrist a squeeze before letting it go. “You with me?” Sarah asked.

She wiped her face. “I am.” She sniffed, rubbing her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

Sarah gave her a tight nod but she didn’t feel like she knew her well enough to say anything else. Delphine loved Cosima, through and through, and she was willing to fight for all three of them. That was enough to tie them to each other.

“What next?” Sarah asked brusquely.

“We each need a vehicle,” Delphine told her, standing up straighter. “The keys are locked in the garage but the keys to the garage should be…” she stepped over to the desk next to the door, opening the top drawer and reading over the labels on the sets of keys she found in it. “Here,” she said, dangling it in front of Sarah. “We’ll each take a vehicle and-“

A cry from outside made both of them freeze, their eyes wide. It sounded almost like a scream but nothing a human would make.

“Oh no,” Delphine moaned.

“What the hell is that?” Sarah hissed.

“That,” said Delphine very quietly. “Is one of our velociraptors.”

/-/-/

The left side of the car had started shaking about a minute ago. It felt like a flat tire and as grateful as Cosima was for the potential stall, she was terrified the turbulence was going to set off Ferdinand’s gun.

They’d driven into some pretty dense jungle. It was darker here, the sky obscured by tall trees that hung over the road and the view on each side blocked by a wall of trunks and shrubs. Usually, Cosima would have enjoyed such a ride but right now she just felt blocked in.

“We need to pull over,” she told him, with as much authority as she could

She risked a glance sideways to see that he was glaring at her. “You did this on purpose,” he accused.

“How could I have done this on purpose?” she demanded hotly. She began to steer the car to the side of the road, relieved when he didn’t protest.

“You’ve hit nearly every pothole on the road,” he grumbled. He waved the gun at her and Kira whimpered in the back. “I could kill you here and just take the little girl,” he threatened.

“You’re scaring her,” Cosima said angrily. _As if you’d kill me now. After all the trouble you went through to get me._

Maybe he would. She knew Delphine would cooperate even if it were just for Kira. Ferdinand with his distorted view of the world might not believe that but she wasn’t betting on him underestimating her. 

“Good!” he exclaimed. He twisted around to face Kira, scowling, and she shrank away. “You should be afraid.”

Cosima felt her blood boiling. “Hey!” she snapped. “Aren’t you in a hurry? Why don’t you just change the tire so we can move on and stop picking on her!”

His eyes flared but she stared back at him defiantly. _I’m right and you know it._

“Don’t leave the car,” he grumbled at last.

The minute the door slammed behind him she felt her courage deflate. She tried to keep her breathing even, so Kira wouldn’t notice, but she was shaking.

“Are we going to be OK?” Kira asked from the backseat.

She took a deep breath. Now wasn’t the time to lose it. Instead, she unbuckled her seatbelt and crawled into the back to sit beside Kira. As soon as she sat down her niece was clinging to her and Cosima wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders.

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” she promised. “We’re gonna find a way out of this, OK?”

“He’s really scary,” Kira whispered.

Cosima sighed, stroking her hair. “So is your mom,” she told her, hoping to lighten the mood. When Kira didn’t react, her expression turned serious. “And she’s coming for us,” she added firmly.  

“I know,” Kira said, a strange calm coming over her. “My mom and Delphine are going to come help us.” She paused and when Cosima turned her head to look at her she seemed upset. “But it’s not safe out there,” she whispered.  

Cosima’s heart jolted but she forced down the fear. They’d all made it this far and Delphine and Sarah were arguably the strongest of them. They’d be OK. They had to be.

“You don’t need to worry about them. They’re both pretty tough,” she told Kira, but the little girl seemed unconvinced.

In all honesty, so was Cosima. She still remembered what it had felt like to lose track of Delphine and the idea of losing both her and Sarah at the same time wasn’t something she was strong enough to think about. She had to believe they were OK because the alternative was too awful to face.

The sudden opening of the front door made both of them jump.

“What are you doing back there?” Ferdinand demanded.

Cosima moved so that she was mostly in between him and Kira, glaring at him as best she could. “You just said to stay in the car,” she retorted.

He grunted in annoyance. “I need you to come out here.”

Kira’s fingers clutched her shirt like little talons and she shook her head, but Cosima could see that this wasn’t the moment to argue with him.

“You’ll be OK,” she promised, gently prying her away. “I’ll be back in a minute.” Kira’s eyes were bright and Cosima hooked her fingers under her chin, lifting her gaze so she could see her smile encouragingly at her. “We’re a tough family,” she told her. The corner of her mouth twitched into a smug smirk. “We can do this.”

Kira nodded bravely and Cosima gave her head a quick kiss before tearing herself away to follow Ferdinand. She was so scared but her drive to protect her niece was stronger, and it was eclipsing everything else.

“Close the door slowly,” Ferdinand instructed as Cosima stepped out.

The tire was off, but the new one hadn’t been put on yet. Tools were scattered on the ground beside the truck and she wondered why he’d stopped midway through.

Cosima did as he said, pushing the door shut instead of slamming it. Better not to attract attention to themselves anyway. Kira was right, it wasn’t safe out there.

“What-“ she began but he grabbed her arm, squeezing it until it hurt and the threat in his eyes was sharp enough to keep her from protesting.

“Shut up,” he hissed. “Just tell me what that is.”

He pointed towards the trees and Cosima’s breath caught in her chest.

“Holy shit,” she whispered.

“Just tell me what it is,” he demanded impatiently.

The creature stared at them from between the trees. Bird like eyes, blinking as it tilted its head back and forth to look at them. It was bipedal, featherless but with brightly coloured scales on its neck and it stood with its head at about eye level with Cosima. Its mouth hung slightly open to reveal rows of pointed teeth.

“It’s a dilophosaurus,” she said quietly.

“Is it dangerous?” he asked.

Cosima looked between him and the dinosaur, her mind racing. “No,” she said after a few seconds. “It’s a scavenger.”

His shoulders fell and he let out a sigh of relief. “Good.”

“…can I go back in now?” she asked nervously. “I think Kira’s probably-“

“No, you’ll stay right there and keep an eye on it,” he growled. “I have to finish this.” When Cosima opened her mouth to protest his hand drifted over the gun on his belt. “I’ve had more than enough of your incessant chatter,” he warned her.

Her mouth clamped shut and her feet stayed rooted to the spot as he wove back around the truck. Cosima gulped uneasily. _What the hell am I doing?_

But she couldn’t stop now, the plan was already in motion.

_A stupid, dangerous plan._

She checked over her shoulder to make sure Ferdinand wasn’t looking, then turned back to the dinosaur. It stared at her, uncertain.

_I wish I had a better idea._

As quietly as she could, she waved her arms at it, trying to provoke it without Ferdinand noticing. It inched forward, curious, and sniffed at the air but it wasn’t enough.

Ferdinand still hadn’t noticed her but she didn’t have much time. Steeling herself, she feigned rushing towards it, taking a mock step in what looked like a run. The dinosaur screeched at her, puffing up a cobra-like frill around its neck, and lunged forward.

With a jolt, Cosima scrambled to get the front door of the car open. She dove inside, yanking the door shut behind her just as the animal rammed into it. The truck shook as she half tumbled to the driver’s side to lock the doors.

“What-“ She heard Ferdinand's cry of surprise from outside. He had the keys but when he tried to open the front door she slammed her hand over the lock to keep it down.

His eyes burned with fury and he reached for his gun. Cosima’s heart dropped into her stomach but before he could draw it the dilophosaurus collided with him.

Blood splattered against the window. Kira screamed and, after ensuring all the doors were locked, Cosima bolted into the back to curl herself around her, pulling her head to her chest so that she wouldn’t see what was happening outside.

“Shh,” she urged shakily. “Cover your ears.”

Ferdinand was screaming too loudly for that to block it out but she hoped it would at least muffle it.

“I want my mom,” Kira sobbed.

_‘Yeah, me too,’ Cosima thought._

She held her tightly, closing her eyes against the screams that were mercifully coming to an end. “We’ll see her soon,” she soothed, her voice squeaking. “It’s OK. It’ll be over soon.”

As much as she hated Ferdinand, she hated what she’d just done too. She’d never killed anyone before, she’d never even really injured anyone. Was this murder? Was she a killer now? Tears streaked down her face but she knew she’d do it again in a heartbeat if she had to. He was a bad person, she reasoned, she was protecting them.

None of her reasoning could quell the bitter pain in her chest. Kira was still sobbing and she felt like she’d let her down somehow. She should have never had to see something like that. She shouldn’t have had to be there to witness the most violent thing Cosima had ever done.

_‘I didn’t have a choice,’ she told herself. ‘I couldn’t let him kill Kira. He would have killed both of us and he wouldn’t have felt bad about it. She’s just a little girl. I love her. I had to protect her. She still needs me.’_

The tears wouldn’t stop but she rubbed Kira’s back, trying to be brave for her. “It’s OK,” she said again. “Your mom is gonna be so happy to see you,” she added, trying to distract her. “We’re going to go back to her soon. Then we’re going to leave and we are never coming back, OK?” Kira was starting to quiet and she wondered how long they would have to stay there before the dinosaur finished with Ferdinand and left.

Her stomach lurched at the image that brought up. God, she needed to get out of here.

And she missed Sarah too. And Delphine. She wanted Delphine so much it hurt. When she found her again she was going to tell her that she loved her. She should know. She wished she knew already, wished she were holding her now and they weren’t in the middle of nowhere with a man being ripped apart right outside their door.

Kira was quiet now and she stroked her hair, wanting her know that she was there and she was going to keep her safe. “It’s almost over,” she soothed.

_I hope._

 


	11. Chapter 11

Cosima looked up from her work, rubbing her eyes in frustration. She’d much rather focus on what she was doing than the thoughts swirling crudely around in her head, but she couldn’t shake them no matter how hard she tried.

_She’s never going to speak to me again._

_Why did I do that? Why am I so impulsive? I should have just asked her if she was interested._

_I ruined everything._

Was she going to withdraw the job offer too? Was it ethical, for her to do that just because Cosima had made her uncomfortable? Or had Cosima crossed a line, kissing her like that? Wasn’t she the one who’d been unprofessional? It hadn’t exactly been a very professional setting but maybe she’d been reading the signs wrong. The way she’d read Delphine wrong.

She’d really thought she liked her. She’d been convinced that she’d been flirting with her but now she just felt stupid.

Stupid and pinning for unrequited feelings. Maybe it was for the best if she never saw her again. It might make getting over this crush a lot easier.

“Can I come in?”

Cosima jolted to her feet, a burst of joy in her chest stretching a grin from ear to ear until she regained control of herself and pushed it down.

“Yeah, uh… of course,” she answered, doing her best to sound casual. _Don’t freak her out again._

Delphine smiled and her heart fluttered. She was so glad to see her that the conclusion she’d come to just a moment ago seemed like a faraway memory. Her heels had wings now and none of the rest mattered.

_Isn’t it better to feel this happy?_

No. Not if it wasn’t real. Not if the feelings could never be reciprocated but she liked Delphine for more than just that. She was smart and good conversation. She was funny and she _got_ Cosima in a way very few people did. In a heartbeat, she realized that she would be her friend if that’s all she wanted. If she still wanted that at all.

“I’m sorry I ran out on you the other day,” Delphine told her as Cosima took her coat.

Cosima draped it carefully over one of the chairs, shaking her head. “No, no, no. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have….”

“No, it’s OK,” Delphine said quickly. “It’s just that I-“

“I know,” Cosima assured her, waving her hand. “You’re not gay.” Delphine bit her lip, looking uneasy, and she plowed on. “It’s OK. My mistake. I’ll just stick to the science. I just want to make, like, crazy science with you.”

_What the hell did I just say? Crazy science? Is that euphemism for sex? What is wrong with me?_

But Delphine was chuckling at her and looking a lot more at ease so she didn’t regret it.

“Are you still interested in the position?” she asked.

Cosima nodded, not quite believing her good fortune. “Yeah, it’s an amazing opportunity.”

Delphine nodded, shy but not unfriendly and took out a stack of forms from her bag. “Good. Because we’ve decided to offer it to you.”

 “Seriously?” This time Cosima didn’t bother to stifle her grin.

“You were by far the best candidate,” Delphine told her warmly, handing her the papers.

Cosima grazed over the first page, her letter of offer with a signature from the head of the corporation at the bottom.

“High praise from our ambassador,” she read, warmth rising in her chest. She looked to Delphine, feeling strangely shy. “You had some good things to say about me?”

“I had many good things to say about you,” Delphine laughed. She smiled at her, leaning forward slightly and the warmth rose to Cosima’s cheeks. “All of them completely deserved. You’re brilliant.”

Their eyes met and Cosima felt her heart drop into her stomach. It was probably her feelings contorting her perception of the situation, but she couldn’t remember a straight woman ever looking at her like that.

“Thanks,” she managed, turning her head back to the letter to hide the blush on her cheeks.

They were silent for a moment. Then what Delphine said next set off her heart like a propeller.

“I can’t stop thinking about that kiss…”

Cosima froze, playing the words over in her head to make sure she’d heard them right.

“Like… in a not bad way?” she asked hesitantly. Her head was spinning. What was going on?

“Oh, like…” Delphine paused, collecting her thoughts and Cosima waited as patiently as she could. “I have never thought of bisexuality. I mean for myself, you know? But as a scientist, I know that sexuality is a spectrum. But, you know, social biases they codified attraction. It’s contrary to the biological facts you know?” She trailed off, looking flustered but Cosima thought that was one of the most beautiful things she’d ever heard.

“Mhm… that’s, oddly romantic.” She blushed and Delphine giggled, happy at first, then nervous again. “And totally encouraging,” Cosima added as boldly as she could.

They stared at each other, a curtain of uncertainty between them that felt like it could disintegrate or transform into a wall at any second. Cosima wasn’t going to move until Delphine did, not this time, and the other woman looked like she was sizing up a jump. It was all happening so fast, it was confusing her. What was one second ago wasn’t now. Or at least it was no longer what she’d thought it had been.

_What the hell is happening?_

But then Delphine was touching her face, looking at her with such a hunger in her eyes that Cosima stopped thinking. When Delphine leaned forward to kiss her, she sank into it, standing on her toes so she could wrap an arm around Delphine’s shoulders.

Everything about her was magical, from her lips to her hands on Cosima’s face. How was it possible for anyone to feel so good? It was like holding spring, or kissing sunshine and she couldn’t get enough of it.

“Oh.. shit… oh sorry!”

Delphine jumped, pulling away and Cosima bit her lip to keep back a groan.

“Knock much, Scott?” she muttered. Her lab mate was red in the face, staring at them from the door.

Technically, she was the one who shouldn’t be making out with girls in the lab, but she was too annoyed at the sudden interruption to give him an inch there.

“It’s my fault,” Delphine defended. “I shouldn’t have started that in here…”

_Yes, you should have!_

Delphine had turned to face Scott and Cosima shot him a look over her shoulder.

“It’s OK,” Scott assured her, still scarlet. “It’s just…” He chuckled awkwardly, grinning between them. “Wow…”

_Oh my God, Scott. Stop talking._

“I should go,” Delphine said and Cosima silently cursed her lab mate. “Can I come by later for the papers?” she added hopefully .

Cosima nodded, melting at the sound of her voice. “Yeah, of course.”

“OK.” Delphine gave her a fond smile before leaning in to kiss her again. Short this time, but just as intoxicating. She butted her head gently against Cosima’s before pulling away, and Cosima felt like she was floating when Delphine whispered a soft “Bye”.

“Bye,” Cosima breathed.

She watched her go, smiling giddily, and she’d just about forgotten Scott was standing next to her until he cleared his throat.

“So, uh… I got you some take out…”

Cosima sighed, tearing her eyes from the empty doorway to face him. He was holding out a small box of food, watching her guiltily and she found it difficult to stay mad at him. It wasn’t really his fault anyway.

“Thanks,” she said sincerely, taking the box.

They drifted towards the desks, away from the work benches and sat down to eat.

“So…,” he asked hesitantly after a couple bites. “… Do you like her?”

Cosima looked up, seeing from his expression that he genuinely wanted to know how she felt, and her annoyance evaporated.

She nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah.” She giggled, still giddy from what had just happened. “Yeah, I really do.”

////

Another screech reached them from the forest outside. This one overlapping with a second and Delphine thought she’d heard a third join in after that. Velociraptors were pack hunters, this she knew, and it sounded like a group of at least three. It sounded very close.

They didn’t have time for this. She should have been more scared than she was but after all that had happened, all that was at stake, she was just angry. Why here? Why now?

“Take the keys,” she told Sarah. “We need to hurry.”

“We’re just gonna go out there?” Sarah asked incredulously.

“We don’t have time for anything else,” Delphine reminded her, and she didn’t object to that.

Carefully, she peeked out the window at the top of the door, letting out a hiss of frustration at what she saw. There were four of them, one was picking at a garbage can and another soon joined it. The other two looked around cautiously, tilting their heads this way and that. They were covered in pale feathers, a burst of blue and green around their head an neck, but their claws and their teeth like little daggers made them look menacing in spite of that.

“Shit,” Sarah muttered beside her. “We don’t have time for this.”

They really didn’t. Delphine took a breath, coming to a decision.

“Do you remember how I promised I wouldn’t do what I did with the ankylosauraus again?” she asked slowly.

Sarah was shaking her head before she’d finished speaking. “No. No way.”

“We don’t have any other options,” Delphine pressed.

“They’re going to kill you,” Sarah hissed. “And without you, we can’t get Kira and Cosima back.”

“We can’t get them back from in here either,” she reasoned. “These animals aren’t like the ankylosaurus, they’ve imprinted on me.”

Sarah threw her hands in the air. “I don’t know what that means, Delphine,” she protested.

“It means this could work,” she told her stubbornly.

 They’d followed her around as infants. She’d hand fed them, even played with them. They hadn’t been aggressive with her, even as adolescents. But they’d been much smaller then, only about the size of a beagle. Now they were closer to the size of a small horse.

Sarah laughed bitterly. “This is a terrible idea, you know that?” Delphine stared back at her unwilling to budge and she sighed, shaking her head. “Cosima is gonna hate me if I let you get killed using yourself as bait again,” she muttered but she sounded resigned.

“At least she’ll be alive to hate you,” Delphine told her. Sarah frowned at her. “You know, I don’t want to die here either,” she pressed. “I really do think this will work.” _I don’t want to do this. I have to do it._

Another long sigh from Sarah. “You know, I really hate dinosaurs.” She met Delphine’s eyes, conceding. “I hope you’re right about this imprinting thing,” she warned. “Because I don’t want to have to explain this to Cosima. You’re the one telling her why you still thought those things were pets.”

_I don’t think that. I know how unpredictable they are._

But it didn’t matter. Sarah was cooperating and she didn’t want to risk losing that.

“It’ll work,” she promised. _Probably._ “I’ll go first,” she added before she could lose her nerve. “Once they have their attention on me, you can head towards the garage.” _I hope they’re not hungry._

“And then I come get you and neither of us gets eaten by a dinosaur,” Sarah finished.

Delphine nodded. “Yes.” _That part of the plan, I like._

Their eyes met and she realized that she trusted Sarah to keep her word, just as Sarah was trusting her to get her to the garage. After all they’d been through, there wasn’t much room left for doubt.

Steeling herself, she reached for the handle and opened the door, doing her best to let why she was doing this overpower how afraid she was. _Just focus on what is in front of you and how it will get you to your goal. One step at a time._

Before she could second guess herself, she pushed the door open and slipped outside. The animals spotted her immediately, all four pausing. The one in the trash can had a piece of garbage hanging from its mouth when it lifted its head out.

They all had tags, but she remembered the names she’d given them. Charlotte, with her crown of dark blue feathers, just a few shades darker than the others, Danielle and Aryanna, almost identical except for the green fleck over Aryanna’s eye, and Beth who had purple feathers where the dark blue should have been on top of her head.

She knew them, but would they know her?

“Hey,” she cooed walking slowly to the left of the door.

They followed her with their eyes and she made sure to draw their attention away from the direction of the garage. She clucked at them, something she only did when she was going to feed them, and immediately wondered if she’d made a mistake. 

Charlotte tilted her head, taking a step forward. Danielle and Aryanna followed behind, clapping their jaws at her but Beth remained where she was.

Delphine smiled at Charlotte. She tried to think of them as the hatchlings she'd raised and not the agile predators they had grown into. “That’s it,” she encouraged. “C’mon.”

None of them were charging, the first three sniffed the air, tilting their heads curiously. Eventually, Beth followed after them and very, very slowly, Delphine led them away from the path to the garage.

Could they smell how frightened she was? Did they know that her heart was beating like a jackhammer in her chest? She drew a long breath through her nose, trying to calm down but it was mitigating at best. They were so big and she could feel how powerful they were in each step they took.

Behind them, she saw Sarah cautiously making her way towards the garage. When the door shut behind Sarah, Beth turned her head towards her and Delphine felt a flash of panic.

“It’s dinner time isn’t it?” she tried, forgetting herself in her desperation. “Time for dinner?” _I have nothing to give you. What will you do when you figure that out?_

It got their attention though. There was no doubt in her mind that they were highly intelligent, maybe even more so than a dog. They understood basic phrases in a similar way. She had doubts as to whether they were as loyal though.

Sarah had reached the garage and Charlotte was only a few feet away from Delphine, sniffing for the food Delphine didn’t have.

_Unless I am the food._

At least they all had their attention on her.

“It’s me,” she told her, doing her best to keep her voice from shaking. “You know me.”

Charlotte was the youngest, still smaller than the others. If any of them still thought of her as a parent it was going to be her. She was so close, Delphine could hear her breathing. The dinosaur reached out to her, butting Delphine’s chest with her nose and her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest, but the animal only prodded her, moving its snout down to sniff at her pockets.

“You’re looking for the food,” she realized, melting with relief. “I don’t have anything.” Charlotte was almost as tall as she was but built for speed and power. Her jaws could snap Delphine in two if she wanted too, but she didn’t.  

Instead she sniffed at her like a curious dog until she realized she was empty-handed. Growling a bit as if she were upset at being tricked, she took a step back while the other three watched curiously from close by.

They were beautiful. Even now she couldn’t help seeing it. They’d grown up strong and healthy and a small part of her was glad for that. They’d succeeded in what they’d set out to do and they’d created these incredible creatures, brought them back from a sixty-five-million-year long extinction. It was incredible to behold. 

Something moved behind Delphine, a deer maybe, or a pig, and the four of them shot off towards it, zipping past her one by one. It happened so fast she barely had time to cry out and by the time she did all four of them had disappeared and something was screaming from the trees.

Tires screeched on dirt and suddenly a truck was between her and the animals.

“Get in,” Sarah barked.

Delphine hesitated. “I need to take another truck,” she told her.

But Sarah was grinning. “No, no you don’t.” Delphine narrowed her eyes, confused, but Sarah’s smile remained. “I’ve got something you’ll want to listen to,” she insisted.   

Confused but hopeful, Delphine crawled into the passenger’s seat, closing the door behind her.

“What are you talking about?” she asked. “What’s-“

A voice came over the radio, and the words were lost. “Delphine, it’s us!”

“Cosima?!” She laughed, lightheaded with relief and maybe still a little jittery from her encounter with the dinosaurs. “It’s really you?” Of course it was.

“Good to know you recognize my voice,” she teased and Delphine laughed again while Sarah rolled her eyes, still grinning in relief.

“Are you OK?” Delphine asked.

“We’re both fine,” Cosima assured them. “But… uh… we need you guys to come get us…”

“Where’s Ferdinand?” Sarah asked carefully.

There was a pause and she and Delphine exchange a concerned look.

“… I can’t… really talk about that right now,” Cosima said at last. “But he’s gone. And so are the keys to the truck.”

“We’re on our way,” Sarah assured her, already turning their own truck back towards the road. “You hear that Monkey?”

“Yeah,” Kira replied, quiet but alright.

“Keep talking to us, OK?” Cosima said. She sounded… not scared… but something close.

Sarah glanced down at the radio, her smile faltering, and Delphine ran her fingers over it without thinking, wishing they could reach them through it.

“Of course,” Delphine answered. “What do you want us to talk about?”

Cosima laughed, sounding almost like herself. “Anything but dinosaurs.”

Sarah chuckled and Delphine smiled at the source of her voice. She was worried about her, but just hearing her had lifted an enormous weight off her shoulders.

“Yeah,” Sarah promised Cosima. “We can do that. Start by telling us exactly where you are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one got really long! Oops
> 
> So all the raptors are named after clones. Is it realistic that they wouldn't eat her? I don't know. But don't try this at home kids.
> 
> Delphine's speech is pretty much right out of the show because I could not bring myself to alter it in any way. 
> 
> You can write like 5000 characters in this box. Has anyone ever considered using it for some sort of creative purposes? That's a lot of characters.


	12. Chapter 12

Cosima peered out the window, her heart still thudding her chest. The dilophosaurus had dragged Ferdinand into the trees about tent minutes ago, and she was pretty sure it was safe to go outside now. Or at least as safe as it was ever going to be.

They couldn’t drive out of here. Ferdinand had still had the keys in his hands when he’d been dragged away. They were probably deeper in the forest now, or wherever he’d been hauled off to.

She shut her eyes tight, trying to block out the image of his mangled body. She’d made sure Kira hadn’t seen it but she’d risked a look outside herself when she’d heard the dinosaur moving away.

Her hand moved to grip the door handle but she realized it was trembling. Taking a deep breath, she squeezed it into a fist, trying to steady it.

“Kira, I’m gonna be right back OK?” she said, turning to her niece. She gave her a smile that must have looked as mechanical as it felt because the little girl shook her head.

“Let’s try the radio again first,” Kira pleaded.

Cosima sighed. It was tempting but they’d already been trying for twenty minutes now. There was no one on the other end. But Kira was staring at her with round, frightened eyes and Cosima didn’t want to go out there and what would one more try hurt?

“OK,” she conceded. She crawled back into the front, reaching for the radio. She wasn’t even sure if she was turning it on properly. “Hello?” she called out wearily. “Hello? Is anyone out there?”

Static.

She shut her eyes, surprised at how disappointed she was when she hadn’t even thought it was going to work in the first place.

“Try again,” Kira prodded.

But Cosima was shaking her head. “I’m sorry, Kira, but there’s no one-“

“Hello?”

The voice across the radio made both of them yelp but Cosima’s alarm vanished in an instant as she recognized whose it was.

“Mom!” Kira exclaimed. She scuttled into the front seat and Cosima let her talk into the radio. “Mom! We’re here!”

“Monkey!” Sarah’s relief was tangible even across the radio.  “Are you OK? Cos? You’re there too?”

“I’m right here,” Cosima told her. She laughed, light with relief. “We’re both OK. Ferdinand is…” A chill passed over her and she faltered. “…Gone….”

“Gone how?” Sarah asked, confused.

Cosima grit her teeth, wondering how she was going to answer that question, but Kira saved her from replying.

“Mom, you have to come get us,” she pleaded.

“I am,” Sarah told her. “I promise, just… hold on a second. I need to go get Delphine before she...uh…” she trailed off uneasily and something in her voice sent another chill down Cosima’s spine.

“Sarah, where’s Delphine?” she asked.

“Just give me a minute,” Sarah said again. “Then we’ll come get you.”

Cosima and Kira waited in silence for about two minutes, and she did her best not to imagine a worst-case scenario. Then she heard Sarah again over the radio.

“I’ve got something you’ll want to listen to,” she was saying. It sound like she was talking to someone.

“What are you talking about?” Cosima’s heart leapt at Delphine’s voice. “What-“

“Delphine, it’s us!” she shouted, too excited to wait for the other woman to finish the question.

“Cosima!?” she sounded out of breath but her relieved laughter was music to Cosima’s ears “Is it really you?”

_Of course it’s us._

“Good to know you recognize my voice,” Cosima teased, smiling when that made her laugh again.

“Are you OK?” Delphine asked. She sounded about as on edge as Cosima felt and she wondered what had happened before Sarah went to get her.  

_Much better now._

“We’re both fine,” she assured her. “But… uh…” She frowned, thinking of the missing keys. “We need you to come get us.”

“Where’s Ferdinand,” Sarah asked again and Cosima winced. The image of him being dragged away flashed before her mind’s eye and her stomach lurched.

“… I can’t… really talk about that right now,” she managed at last. “But he’s gone. And so are the keys to the truck.”

“We’re on our way,” Sarah said immediately. Cosima wondered if she could tell that something was wrong. “You hear that, Monkey?”

“Yeah,” Kira squeaked beside her. Cosima gave her arm a squeeze and managed a real smile, which Kira hesitantly returned.

 _Poor kid. She must be so scared._ Cosima herself was starting to freak out a little. She couldn’t get the image of the dinosaur ripping Ferdinand apart out of her head and she couldn’t stop remembering that _she’d_ been the one to lead it to him. At least they all knew where each other were. Sarah and Delphine’s voices were a lighthouse in a storm.

“Keep talking to us OK?” she said, as much for Kira as for herself. She didn’t think she could stand losing contact with them again.

“Of course.” It was Delphine who answered and Cosima couldn’t resist tracing her fingers over the speakers, wishing she could reach them through it. “What do you want us to talk about?”

Cosima laughed, anchoring herself to the other woman enough to push back her nerves. “Anything but dinosaurs.”

“Yeah.” It was Sarah this time and Cosima found herself latching onto her too. “We can do that. Start by telling us exactly where you are.”

////

It didn’t take them long to find Cosima and Kira. They kept up a steady conversation the entire way, talking about little things like the clearing sky and the pair of monkeys they passed in the trees along the way. They talked about how much they all wanted a shower. About food.

When they reached the truck at the side of the road though, it wasn’t food that they wanted the most. Cosima and Kira were already waiting outside and Kira was in her mother’s arms in a flash. Delphine gave them a small smile as she gravitated towards Cosima.

The two of them approached each other more slowly, looking each other up and down to make sure the other was still all in one piece. Delphine caught sight of the blood on the on the driver’s side window behind Cosima and narrowed her eyes questioningly.

Cosima didn’t need to turn around to know what she was looking at. Her expression darkened and she opened her mouth but when no words came out she shut it again, her eyes bright as she stepped forward to push her head into Delphine’s shoulder.

Delphine wrapped her arms around her protectively, not entirely certain what was wrong but beginning to guess at it.

The blood was Ferdinand’s. Ferdinand was dead. Maybe Cosima had killed him. Maybe she’d gotten the gun from him and shot him. A small part of Delphine was almost proud of that, and a much bigger part was grateful for it, but she knew Cosima enough to know that taking a life would shake her no matter whose it was.

She rubbed her back, searching for something to say that might comfort her but the only thing she could think was _I’m so glad you’re safe._

“I love you.” The words took Delphine by surprise, so quiet she almost missed them. Cosima pulled back, her eyes bright but certain. “I love you,” she repeated, clearer now.

Delphine smiled, taken aback by her timing. _She says this now?_ But it didn’t matter. Anytime she said it, Delphine’s answer would have been the same.

She held Cosima’s face between her hands, stroking her thumbs along her jaw as they stared at each other. “I love you too,” she told her softly.

Cosima brightened at that, a smile stretching across her face before she glided forward to kiss her. For just a moment, Delphine let herself melt into it. They were tired and sore but this was like being allowed to breathe again and she wanted to take in as long a breath as she could.

The moment was over too soon but Delphine promised herself they’d have more. All that was left to do was to drive back and get off this wicked island.

Sarah came to give Cosima a tight hug, asking her once again if she was OK, and when Cosima promised that she was they all got into the truck. Delphine drove, letting Sarah hold her daughter in the back, and Cosima kept a hand on Delphine's shoulder from the passenger’s seat as if she were afraid she were going to disappear.

“We’re OK now,” Delphine told her. She reached up to grab her hand, giving her fingers a quick kiss before turning her attention back to the road. It was empty and wide and she didn’t mind driving with one hand. Cosima could keep the other one. “It’s over.”

She glanced sideways and saw Cosima nod stiffly. “Yeah.”

“Hey.” Delphine gave her hand a gentle squeeze, hating how miserable she looked. “Whatever happened back there-“

“I don’t really want to talk about it,” Cosima said flatly.

“That’s OK,” she assured her. “But I’m here when you do.”

Cosima ran her thumb across the back of Delphine’s hand, silent for a minute. “OK,” she said at last.

An eagle flew over the road, it’s wings a shadow in front of them and the four of them watched it with a tired curiosity as it flew out of sight. A few days ago, Delphine would have thought proudly of how it now flew over its 65-million-year-old ancestors. Today though, it was only a bird. Today, her only thought of this island was to get Cosima off of it before anything else could hurt her or the rest of her family.

/////

Almost twelve hours, a good meal and a shower later, Delphine was alone in a hotel room waiting for a flight back to America with Sarah and Cosima. She’d need to return to France eventually, but Cosima had offered for her to come stay with her for a few weeks and neither of them were interested in being separated any sooner than they needed to be.

Delphine wanted to move to Michigan. It sounded reckless and impulsive even inside her own head but she wanted to be where Cosima was. She’d lived on the island for so long, she had nothing to return to in France anyway. Why not try for a new life in America? It would be complicated but not impossible to find a job there and she was highly skilled at what she did.

She lay on the too-soft hotel bed, the thick blanket already uncomfortable underneath her in the summer night heat. Her pyjamas were a pair of loose pants and a t-shirt with the park’s logo on it. She’d gotten it for free when they’d first unveiled the design. Now though, she wished she’d thought to pack a different shirt to sleep in instead of simply grabbing the first pair of pyjamas she found in her eagerness to leave. Maybe it was childish of her, it was only a shirt after all, but it made her squirm a bit to wear it. She was debating whether or not to just sleep without it when there was soft knock at her door.

Opening it, she was surprised to find Cosima on the other side of it. She wore matching pyjama pants and a top, some space characters Delphine didn’t recognize, and there was a joke across the front that she didn’t quite understand. Nonetheless, Delphine thought the overall effect of it was charming.

Cosima herself looked uncharacteristically shy. Or maybe she was just sad. She’d been quiet the entire trip from the island, even through supper it had been difficult to get a smile out of her. They were all quiet, Delphine supposed, they’d been through a lot. Still she was worried about her.

“That’s cute,” Cosima said, nodding to Delphine’s shirt.

Delphine blushed, unsure whether or not she was being sarcastic. “It was free,” was all she could think to say.

“Hmm…” Cosima nodded but she was too distracted for Delphine to be able to tell what she really thought of the shirt.

“Did you need something?” Delphine asked her when the silence stretched out uncomfortably.

Cosima shook her head. “Actually, that’s what I came to ask you. You’re all alone in there and I thought… uh… well I was wondering if you could use some company.”

Delphine blinked at her, not quite understanding what kind of company she meant but realizing that she’d probably say yes to either. Suddenly all she wanted was for Cosima to be with her.

“Just someone to talk to,” Cosima told her quickly. “Or play cards with. If you like cards… or if you wanted to be alone…”

“I don’t,” Delphine said. “Want to be alone,” she clarified when Cosima met her gaze questioningly.

She smiled at that and Delphine moved aside to let her in. Cosima circled the room, investigating the potted plant on the dresser which had a nametag and a short note about its ‘personality’.

“We have one of these too,” she told Delphine, touching the tip a leaf. She turned to the window which was still open to let in the breeze. “You have a better view than us though.”

Delphine sat on the bed, patting the space beside her in case Cosima needed an invitation. There was a chair, but it was wooden and square and not nearly as comfortable. Cosima plopped down beside her and dangled her feet off the side of the bed.

“I don’t think I’m gonna be able to sleep tonight,” she muttered. She shook her head. “All this for a bit of money.”

“It was quite a lot of money actually,” Delphine said fairly. Cosima raised an eyebrow at her and she shrugged. “They were going to pay Ferdinand twelve million for stealing those embryos. Everyone has a price tag.”

Cosima narrowed her eyes. “Do you?”

“Mine isn’t monetary,” she told her.

Expression darkening, Cosima turned to stare down at her knees. “Yeah, neither is mine I guess,” she said bitterly.

“He would have killed you,” Delphine said firmly. Cosima winced and she wondered if that had been too blunt. Cosima needed to hear it though. This wasn’t her fault. “He would have killed you and Kira for that money,” she pressed. “You didn’t have a choice.”

“Sarah said that too,” Cosima muttered. “She said she would have shot him if she had to.”

“I would have too,” Delphine agreed.

Their eyes met and Delphine wondered if Cosima knew what she’d meant when she’d said her price tag wasn’t monetary. That her price tag was Cosima. Her safety, her life. It was jarring to know the thing that could give a person or a situation complete control over her, but she was trying to be optimistic that she’d never again be in a position where she needed to worry about that.

Cosima sighed, leaning her head onto Delphine’s shoulder. “That doesn’t make me feel better about any of this.” Delphine stroked the side of her face, feeling helpless and Cosima closed her eyes, silent for a moment. “What will happen to the island?” she asked at last.

“If I have my way, it’s going to be sterilized,” Delphine promised her.

“What?” Cosima sat up, frowning at her.

“We might gas it,” she explained. “Or burn it. But we have to ensure that nothing survives.”

Cosima was looking at her as if she’d suddenly grown another head. “The entire island? But… it isn’t only dinosaurs…”

“We may have no way to selectively cull all of our product,” Delphine reminded her.

“They’re living creatures,” Cosima objected. “That island is an entire ecosystem, you can’t just _burn it.”_

“Well what would you have us do?” Delphine demanded. “What happens if someone ends up on that island? A tour boat or someone from a neighbouring island? What would happen if even one of those animals were discovered by the wrong person?”

Cosima scoffed, getting to her feet. “Did you even try to find other options?” she retorted stubbornly.

“We can’t leave those animals alive,” Delphine pressed. “Maybe with the inventory we could hunt them down one by one, spare the island, but we can’t keep the dinosaurs.” Cosima stared miserably at her. “I know it sounds terrible-“

“It is terrible,” Cosima said flatly.

“But look what happened with Ferdinand,” she insisted. “Another company wanted them so badly they were willing to put our entire park in danger. He says they told him to cut the power. People are dead because of these animals.” She shook her head, feeling as miserable as Cosima looked. “Because of me…” He voice broke.

Cosima thought she had blood on her hands, but the truth was Delphine was the true monster between the two of them. Six people had died after the power had been cut, innocent people and she was responsible for that. It was her recklessness and inability to see the danger that had lead to their deaths. It was her fault Cosima and Kira and Sarah had almost died with them.

Tears welled up behind her eyes and she bit her lip, trying to keep them in. She pulled at the edge of her shirt, hating it, hating herself. “It’s my fault. This stupid project... this…” her breath hitched. “This reckless mistake…”

She felt Cosima’s hand on her knee but she couldn’t look at her.

“Hey,” Cosima soothed but Delphine buried her face into her hands, losing control.

“It’s my fault,” she croaked. “It’s my fault.” She said it over and over, not realizing until the words started blurring together that she was saying it in French and Cosima wouldn’t understand her.

With a sigh, Cosima rose to her feet. Delphine heard the door open and close, footsteps scuffling down the hallway, and a sob tore through her.

But it was only about a minute before the door opened again and she looked up, sniffing in surprise.

“I think we’re the same size,” Cosima said gently, holding out a black pyjama top. It had a picture of a blocky little green creature on the front of it.

Kneeling in front of her, Cosima tentatively placed it onto her lap, keeping her hand on Delphine’s knee when she reached down to feel the soft fabric. Delphine stared at it, half sobbing, half laughing at the gesture. It was a tiny thing but it felt too kind.

“You don’t have to,” Cosima told her quickly. “I know it’s kind of weird but…” she trailed off uneasily.

“Thank you,” Delphine sniffed.  She still couldn’t look at Cosima but she felt her squeeze her knee. She held the shirt in her hands, staring down at it, but she was too miserable to move. Her mouth trembled as she fought back another round of tears. “I’m sorry,” she managed at last.

“It’s OK,” Cosima soothed. At last Delphine looked up and Cosima was shaking her head, getting up to take a seat beside her. She put a gentle hand on her shoulder and Delphine shook with another sob. “Come here,” Cosima murmured.

Slowly, Delphine let Cosima ease her into a hug, pushing her face into her neck when she started crying again. After a moment, she heard Cosima crying too and she held her tighter. It hurt but there was also a sense of relief, as if they were both finally allowed to let go of the false calm they’d been holding onto and they let each other cry for what felt like a long time.

At last they broke away slightly, eyes puffy and with their arms still around each others’ backs. Cosima leaned onto the front of Delphine’s shoulder, uncharacteristically quiet as they let the fingers of their free hands tangle between them.

“You weren’t the only one on that project,” Cosima said gently. “And you saved our lives.”

_I put them in danger in the first place._

Delphine kissed her head. “And you saved Kira,” she told her.

Cosima sighed, but she didn’t argue. Delphine felt like that was about as far as either of them were going to get on that tonight.

“What is this?” she asked, giving the shirt a little shake to change the subject.

“Seriously?” Cosima pulled back, half smirking at her through her tear streaked cheeks. Delphine shrugged and she laughed softly. “That’s Yoda.”

“He’s made from blocks,” Delphine objected. She knew who Yoda was!

“It’s Lego Yoda.”

Delphine raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?”

“Don’t make fun of my shirt,” Cosima objected but they were both laughing. “It was either Yoda or Chewbacca.”

“Lego Chewbacca?” Delphine teased. She wasn’t entirely sure what was so funny but the laughter wouldn’t stop.

Cosima hit her lightly with the pillow and they both giggled. “Hey, that’s one of my favourite shirts.”

“It’s adorable,” Delphine chuckled.

“You should see me at Comiccon,” Cosima laughed. “You probably wouldn’t recognize me.”

Delphine laughed again, shaking her head. “I’ll try it on.” She stroked the side of Cosima’s cheek, expression softening. “Thank you.”

“Just be good to him,” Cosima called after her. Delphine raised an eyebrow at her over her shoulder and Cosima shrugged. “The force is strong in that one.”

They were both still laughing when Delphine shut the door behind her.

In the end, they spent the night talking. Laying on the bed and sharing stories about anything and everything but the past few days. As much as they wanted each other, neither of them were ready to be intimate so soon after what had happened. She wanted it to be somewhere where they were happy and the pain wasn’t as fresh.

Cosima showed Delphine pictures on her phone of her and her friends cosplaying and Delphine told Cosima about how much she’d hated boarding school. They talked about their families, about the differences between their countries. She even tried to teach Cosima a few words in French and Cosima told her about where she’d gotten the shirt Delphine was now wearing.

 Delphine let Cosima throw her other shirt in the trash bin.

They fell asleep on top of the covers, wrapped up in each other’s arms with the lamp still on and a breeze from the ocean washing over them through the window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to orphanzero for your help on that convo about the dinosaurs fate
> 
> I don't know if Cosima likes Lego Star Wars but she might. She likes everything and anything. I love Chewbacca. And Lego.
> 
> There will be an epilogue. So one more chapter to go


	13. Chapter 13

“Which top is better?” Delphine asked.

Both she and Cosima were still only half dressed. Cosima lay on her bed in just her nightshirt and a pair of underwear, watching the news on her laptop. Looking over the top of her screen, she raised her eyebrows at her girlfriend.

“Are you trying to impress me or my sister?” she teased.

Delphine gave a slight huff of frustration. “She doesn’t like me.”

“Yeah, she’s still not over the whole dinosaur thing,” Cosima laughed, unconcerned. “She did invite you to the barbeque though,” she added at Delphine’s frown.

Delphine sighed, laying both shirts down on the bed before taking a seat at the end of it. She wasn’t dressed yet either, but at least she’d already found pants and put on a bra. There weren’t in a rush though.

“Are you sure that’s what she meant?” Delphine asked. She placed a hand on Cosima’s leg, giving it a soft squeeze. Her voice lowered and she stared down at her lap. “I don’t have to come.”

Cosima sighed, setting the computer to the side for the moment and giving Delphine a sheepish smile. The story she was waiting for wasn’t going to be for a while anyway.

“I kind of told her I wouldn’t come without you,” she admitted. Delphine shot her a horrified look and she quickly continued. “We’re leaving tomorrow morning. You’ll go back to France, I’ll go back to Michigan. I wasn’t going to leave you all alone here tonight.”

“You’re coming to visit in the summer,” Delphine pointed out, but she too looked unhappy at their impending separation.

Cosima’s mouth twitched and she shifted her foot as if she could squirm out from under the weight settling on her chest. “It seems really far away,” she muttered.

 It was happening way too fast. The past few months had been like a dream but it already felt like she’d always lived in it. She’d gotten so used to Delphine waking up next to her, to coming home to find her excited about new job prospects, to going out after a long day or just staying in and spending the night together. They knew each other’s takeout orders, they had a side of the bed, knew each other’s secret habits, wore each other’s clothes. Even the little hotel room they were staying in right now seemed more like home with her there.

“Hey.” Delphine crawled closer to her, putting an arm around her shoulders. “I’m coming back in September.”

Cosima couldn’t help but smile at that as she leaned her head on Delphine’s chest. “You followed me home,” she teased.

Delphine rubbed her palm between her hands and Cosima watched it, transfixed by her careful fingers and the steady beat of her heart.

“I did,” Delphine said fondly. For a moment, a content calm settled between them. Then she spoke again. “Have you packed?”

“I’ll finish tonight, don’t rush me,” Cosima complained. She heard Delphine chuckle at her. “Are you worried I’m going to forget my toothbrush?”

“I’m worried about getting you out of bed at five o’clock in the morning,” she joked.

“I apologize in advance for anything I say before six,” Cosima laughed.

 She ran her free hand down Delphine’s leg, thinking she’d be fine not sleeping at all that night and half wishing they could just stay here. But Alison was already expecting them and she _had_ invited Delphine, even if she’d been somewhat coerced into it. Really all Cosima had said was that it seemed rude to leave Delphine all alone in a hotel room, which was true! Sarah liked her, Helena had warmed up to her right away and even Mrs. S seemed somewhat alright with her after Sarah had backed her up. Felix still didn’t seem to like her either but he always sided with Alison anyway.

Delphine had said her apologies, she’d quit the company, she’d used herself as bait for a herd of velociraptors. What more did Alison want? It didn’t matter. Once she got to know Delphine she’d love her too, Cosima was certain of it.

“I like the pink shirt,” Cosima said, her eyes closed because Delphine had started playing with her hair. It had ridges and a slit at the front and she thought it made Delphine look bright and soft. Someone easily approachable. “Alison likes pink,” she added with a grin.

“OK,” Delphine agreed, continuing with Cosima’s hair. “What are you wearing?”

Cosima laughed at her. “I don’t know. Maybe my red dress. Then we’d match.”

She didn’t want to move though, she was so relaxed she was almost falling asleep. She snuggled closer to Delphine, putting an arm across her stomach and let out a wide yawn.

“It’s coming up soon, isn’t it,” Delphine said wearily.

Cosima opened one eye, looking towards her laptop screen to see the time. “Yeah, it should be. I can’t believe we have to hear about it from the news.”

“They weren’t very happy when I quit,” Delphine pointed out.

“We nearly got eaten,” Cosima scoffed. “They’re lucky that’s all you did.”

“I also sent a recommendation to the local government to destroy the island,” she added.

Cosima frowned. “Yeah.” Neither of them really wanted to have that discussion again.

It didn’t matter. Whatever happened next was beyond either of their control anyway.

She tilted her head, kissing Delphine along the bottom of her jaw. “Whatever happens,” she said between kisses. “It’s over.” She kissed the corner of her mouth and Delphine turned to meet her lips. “We’re safe now,” she promised. She kissed her again, holding her tighter around the middle. “Everyone’s safe.”

Delphine held her cheek, nodding along trustingly with what she was saying.  Comforted but not entirely mollified.

They both still had nightmares about that place. Sarah had taken Kira to a therapist after what had happened and Cosima was seriously considering going to see one herself at this point. Last night though, with the decision over what happened to the island looming, Delphine had spent the night tossing and turning. She’d been nearly inconsolable when Cosima had caved in and woken her up.

Delphine kissed her, holding her face with both hands and taking her time with this one. When she pulled back, she stared into Cosima’s eyes, rubbing her thumb along her cheek. After a few seconds, she gave her a forced smile and leaned across to pick up the laptop.

She put it on her lap and Cosima leaned in to see the screen, gripping Delphine’s hand.

The other woman was scared of what was going to happen, more so than even Cosima was because she felt responsible for these animals. Cosima thought she secretly wished they could save them and keep everyone else safe at the same time. She’d raised them, she’d kept them healthy and strong and for what? A park that would never open and a project too dangerous to continue. Maybe it had been a fool’s project but Cosima was honest enough to admit she’d been a fool for it too. Delphine had just been foolish longer.

And she was also honest enough to admit that despite all that happened she didn’t want these animals to die.

The words _Dino Island Controversy_ flashed at the bottom of the screen and she felt Delphine stiffen. Cosima clenched her jaw and they held onto each other.

_Officials from the newly infamous company Dinolution decided today what to do with nearly one hundred live dinosaurs… In a nearly unanimous decision, the board has decided to track down an euthanize all eighty-seven animals._

“Ninety-seven,” Delphine said under her breath.

“I’m sure it’s just a mistake,” Cosima told her tensely, stomach twisting. “They’ll make sure they get all of them.”

Delphine rubbed her thumb over the back of Cosima’s hand. “I’m sorry.”

_I know._

Cosima gripped her hand tighter, but said nothing.

_Board leader, John Mathieson, had this to say._

The footage cut away to an older man with sharp eyes and a grey mustache.

_‘In light of the tragic events three months ago,’ he was saying, ‘the board has decided to shut down the Isla Nublar facility. We are deeply sorry for the loss of our six employees. We feel that the continuation of our work should take place in other areas, and we hope to learn from this and to prevent ourselves from repeating the mistakes that led to this terrible tragedy….’_

“And Isla Sorna,” Delphine muttered. But he continued on without mentioning the other island. “Surely they’re shutting down Isla Sorna too…”

“What’s Isla Sorna?” Cosima asked.

“It’s a research island,” Delphine told her distractedly. “Like a warehouse to a museum. They were going to start an ecosystem project on the island. Intermix the animals… They’d already began breeding for it. 324b21 was going to be released there….”

Cosima frowned. “How many infants did they have?”

“At least fifty,” Delphine was shaking her head. “The eggs would have been ready soon…”

“But why didn’t I know about it?” Cosima wondered.

“It was classified,” she told her absently.

“Maybe that’s why they aren’t mentioning it,” Cosima suggested.

“Maybe…” But Delphine didn’t sound so sure.

Cosima laughed disbelievingly. “What, you think this Mathieson guy is going to continue the project on a secret island somewhere?” she shook her head. “They can never open the park now. What would be the point? There would be no profit. They could never publish any data.”

“They could,” Delphine objected quietly. “Ten, maybe twenty years from now. People would forget what happened.”

“That’s a long time to wait,” Cosima pointed out.

“Mathieson is a patient man,” Delphine told her darkly.

The story had moved on, a fire in an abandoned building, and Cosima shut the laptop screen, setting it aside.

“It’s over,” she said firmly. “We don’t have to worry about this anymore.” She traced her fingers along Delphine’s jaw, gently turning her head towards her. “We have new jobs and a new life and tonight everyone else is going to see how great you are.”

Delphine stared helplessly back at her and she moved forward to kiss her collar bone, her neck, her cheek.

“I’m going to visit you and you can show me where you grew up,” she went on softly, close to her ear. “Then when we come back you can meet my parents and we’ll make a sailor out of you.”

At last, Delphine chuckled. “Yeah?”

Cosima kissed her, grinning when she pulled away. “Promise.” She nudged her nose. “We’re safe now. Everyone is safe.”

Delphine nodded, visibly relaxing. "And we have each other."

"We have each other," Cosima repeated firmly. 

Delphine smiled, eyes shining, and pulled her into a long kiss. Her arms wrapped around her neck, their warm bodies pressing close together and Cosima felt her pulse quicken, heat rushing to her skin. Her hands began to wander, her grin widening at the other woman’s enthusiastic response.

They could get dressed later. They had time. They had all the time in the world and they weren’t going to waste a moment of it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have realized I mixed up Michigan and Minnesota because I am a dumb Canadian, but lets just say that's an AU thing
> 
> Sorry this update took so long! I was bouncing around a lot with my family these past few weeks. Mostly time at the cottage :)
> 
> Delphine's "ten, twenty years from now people will forget" is a nod to Jurassic World lol. But also a nod to reality.
> 
> The clothes they are planning to wear to Alison's barbecue are what they are wearing in the promotional material for this season.


End file.
